Lacrima Draconian
by Desna
Summary: Magical power imbuing lacrimas are rare, always in high demand in spite of the Magic Councils efforts to keep them controlled. Despite their protests though, it is rumored the council makes their own, some using illegal and dark magics, that the council killed rare creatures to create more. When asked they reply with quick negatives and denials...and threats.
1. Chapter 1 Operations

Lacrima Draconian

The origins of magic lacrimas that can implant magic ability and power into a mage is information kept within the restricted access libraries of the magic council. Where each lacrima comes from is supposed to be documented but the Magic Development and Research department has long been plagued by corruption. People who seek to become mages or mages who wish to be free from their magic, powers that the council does not want free out among the public and the mages that possess them are often made to…disappear.

Lacrimas containing "lost" magic are rumored to exist, as well as lacrimas containing forbidden, illegal, and evil magics that are also "lost".

Creation of these lacrimas, how they are made, is a process guarded jealously by the Magic Council. Researchers who come into the employ of the council, who go into the Lacrima department do not retire and are not allowed to ever leave ERA where the research facilities are. For that reason, the small city of ERA is populated almost entirely by employees of the council, teachers of the academy there and members of the Rune Knight military divisions.

Because some of the lacrimas contain dangerous, extremely powerful magics that could imbue a mage with powers the council would rather the world not see, the lacrimas are kept deep beneath ERA and access to them is far beyond limited, it is restricted to very few regularly screened individuals who are, themselves, implanted with lacrimas that, with the push of a button by the Council, would end their lives. It ensures those entrusted with the cataloging and handling of the lacrimas remain loyal and that if any of them ever did try to escape with a lacrima, that they would be dead before they could implant it.

The process of producing certain lacrimas of special types, can involve the death of another living being, in some cases, the very life essence or soul must be torn, part of it encased in the lacrima so that it can imbue the magic into the mage it is implanted in. Dragon Lacrimas are one such type. Because Dragons are all but extinct, lacrimas of that type are jealously guarded, because once implanted, never again can the lacrima containing that essence be used.

It is believed there are no more of them because there are no more dragons. That the Dragon Slayers known to Earthland all currently reside within Fiore, and are all that there ever will be until they themselves might possibly produce children that would be born with the magic within them. The Magic Council watches the Dragon Slayers closely, and many darker seats of power do as well, waiting to see what the future may bring.

Questioned every so often about whether or not they have more Dragon Lacrimas, about whether or not they have found dragons to create more from, the council always responds with resounding negatives and denials.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxxoxoxo

The pounding music was near deafening. Sound levels were at a place where your ears rang for a day or two after you went home. The club was massive, with three levels, fog machines kept the air hazy while massive fans kept it moving to reduce the build up of the smell of sweat smoke and liquor.

The woman with gray eyes and what was obviously a wig of glittery gold and silver "hair" was barely spared a second glance as she pushed her way through the crowds of people. Were it not for the two menacing large men with her nobody would have even noticed her at all.

She wove her way to the bar that was lit up with lacrima-optic lights that alternated through every color in the rainbow across a surface that looked liquid instead of like the metal it really was.

A bartender with no shirt on, a tight black vest and a silver collar around his neck smiled at her, leaning across the bar when she beckoned him. "I'm looking for Taffy." She said in a blunt business thick tone.

"Upstairs, third floor overlook." The Bartender told her, returning immediately to other customers while the woman headed for the stairs, her two goons flanking her silently.

The woman stopped before the black suited bouncers that guarded the third floor access stairway. "VIP only ma'am." One told her. She smiled at him "I'm here to see Taffy, my name is Penny" She responded. The bouncer held up a short list of names and stepped aside, letting Penny and her guards move up the stairs.

At the top Penny stopped, looking around and smiling with dark approval. Here the clubs dancers that performed on the second floor came to "entertain" guests.

The booths were all enclosed by luxuriant silk curtains that provided ample privacy. She heard nothing but music pounding, but when a slender woman dancer slipped into on the many small areas concealed by ornate lacrima optic lit cables that supported circular rods holding the elegant curtains. She saw the man within and he was definitely not dancing with the woman beneath him.

She looked around, seeing some of the well built male dancers lounging, the one she had picked when she had been in yesterday should be waiting for her, part of the deal she was about to make with "Taffy".

She saw a circular section with the curtains pulled open, all cushions and pillow topped lounge seating around a low table. Sitting at the center was a woman with luxuriant chestnut hair and a confident smirk. She sat in the lap of a large blonde man who wore the standard uniform for the men of the club, tight black pants, the skin tight black vest, but his lay open, revealing a broad chiseled chest and a black tribal tattoo curling up his left side and over his left shoulder. His blue/gray eyes were watching her intently, an odd lightning shaped scar over his right eye.

While the woman was sitting on his thighs, she was kissing another man who knelt beside the big blonde. Long wild black hair fell over powerful shoulders, just like the blonde he wore the uniform of the club, metal studs glinted in two rows up his forearm. His vest was in the womans hand being idly swung side to side while her other hand was gripping the mans rigid thigh.

When he tilted his head so the woman could have better dominance of the kiss Penny could see studs running up the mans nose, over his eyes and even at least one glinting from beneath his lower lip. She could see how both of the men would appeal a great deal to the patrons of the club, she even smiled faintly, the one with the long black hair…he looked like something that could greatly sweeten the already sweet but unset deal.

Penny narrowed her eyes and the blonde reached up and tapped the womans shoulder because it was clear she was thoroughly into kissing the black haired man.

"What?!" The woman smiled "Jealous already?" She dropped the vest and pushed the freed hand into the long hair of the man she had been kissing before turning her head toward the blonde, in doing she saw Penny at last.

"Ahh, bringing your own toys to the party? Not necessary and really only appropriate if you plan to share." She said with a grin.

"Are you Taffy?" Penny asked, not wanting to waste her time if this wasn't who she was looking for.

"I am Taffy Peretti, are you Penny?" When Penny nodded Taffy released her hold on the long haired man, but smiled at him "Sit boy. Momma isn't done with you yet." She said, the mans dark eyes narrowed and Penny distinctly heard a low growl from him that was almost primal, but he sat on the lounge as Taffy stretched her legs out over his lap.

"Please have a seat, I understand you have a…special toy you wish to sell, one I've been looking for?" Taffy asked as Penny seated herself across from the woman.

"I do, the exact toy in fact." Penny replied.

"Wonderful, we began discussing our deal for this, 200 million jewel and you were also interested in employment at one of my clubs…a new ah…start in life, and the company of a specific dancer for the night?" She asked, smirking at the last part.

"Getting the toy for you was dangerous Miss Peretti, I have been very stressed and frustrated by the process, I am concerned one dancer, as fine as he is, won't be able to keep up for an entire night…" She smirked and Taffy laughed.

"Oh I do like you! Fine, pick another, I've nothing but respect for a woman with such strong tastes, I usually take a couple at a time myself, one never can quite handle me. She patted the blondes leg beneath her and he curled a lip at her, his expression darkening.

"So temperamental…careful boy, or I'll use the whip tonight." She laughed at him, drawing a smirk out of him that made his already handsome face even more so. Pennys eyes shifted between the big blonde and nearly as large raven haired man for a few moments.

"So I of course wish to see it, and verify it is what you claim it is." Taffy said.

Penny smiled "Of course." She pulled a case from within her cloak, and held it out, the raven haired man rose and gave her a small smirk when he collected it from her and she let her eyes move over him, oh yes, she wanted him…had to have him almost more than she wanted the other one, with his wild rough appearance, he was handsome, wickedly so, with a dangerous "bad boy" edge to him that made Pennys mouth water.

That he was clearly a favorite of Taffys just added to the appeal.

The dark haired man sniffed the case before he handed it to Taffy and Pennys frown didn't go un noticed. "He can detect anything…unpleasant shall we say, I have him check most of the "Toys" I tend to buy so don't be offended." Taffy said.

She pulled out, of all things, a card, and opened the case, placing the card over the orb that rested on soft black fabric within the case.

While she was doing this Penny glanced around the area, a brunette woman in green was laying on a lounge, a dancer with long green hair massaging her back. Otherwise, the curtains were all drawn closed on the seating areas. Penny sort of hoped she would work here in the main club, Heavens Gate was easy to disappear in.

The card lit up and Taffy grinned. "Well now, I guess we have a deal." She said in delight, the blonde pulled a case from between some cushions at his side and the raven haired man took it from him and brought it to Penny.

Eyes brimming with excitement and joy she snapped open the case to stacks of jewel notes. "You can count it if you like." Taffy said.

Penny shook her head, snapping the case shut. "Allright, well then, all that's left is you choose who is joining you with the dancer you already picked yesterday in our VIP suite tonight?" She asked.

Penny nodded toward the raven haired man still standing by her, feeling a thrill when she looked up at him and found him smiling at her. "Him." She said firmly.

"Aww, I usually don't let anyone play with my personal toys, he's a little…rough…does walking tomarrow matter?" Taffy asked grinning knowingly at her.

"Not at all…" Penny breathed as the man dropped to his knees in front of her. "Well then, I'll let him show you to the suite, your men can relax, enjoy the club and come back for you in the morning?" She offered.

Penny nodded, the raven-haired man was already running strong hands up her thighs, she waved distractedly at her guards "Pick me up tomarrow, your off for the rest of the night." She said absently, leaning in and shoving her hands into the mans thick black hair before she crashed her lips against his.

The dark haired man pulled her forward as he stood, wrapping her legs around his waist never removing his lips from hers, parting them the first time she pressed her tongue against them and letting her delve into his mouth, moaning when she found two metal studs through his talented tongue. Oh Gods she desperately needed this…he was perfect…and she was about to get another.

She wanted them to just fuck her into oblivion, and had told Taffy as much when a night with one of her dancers was put on the table as part of the deal. Penny, and that wasn't her real name, had been through hell, had lived deprived, removed from the world for so painfully long, had endured a horrifying very life threatening surgery in a warehouse so she could get this far. She wanted, no needed to completely lose herself in a night with two gorgeous, handsome men that knew how give pleasure, knew how to use their bodies for it.

She was carried a short distance, she didn't care, losing herself in the skilled body heating kiss she was enjoying. She heard a door open, felt a change in the temperature, then when the door closed the pounding club music was all but gone.

Pulling back from the kiss she looked around her, the suite was opulent, luxurious, she was smiling as she saw the hot tub set into the marble floor and the massive circular bed with sheer black curtains.

Her smile deepened when she spotted the dancer she'd picked yesterday. Tall, not as heavily built as the one holding her but still deliciously well muscled with neatly trimmed and style dark blue and black hair.

She had watched him dance, he was agile, she'd watched him perform flips, one handed hand stands while his legs parted into flawless splits, his clear mastery of every inch of his body had made him deeply appealing. Add to that his exotically handsome face and she'd hungered for him since she'd seen him.

He moved right to her, kissing her while she was still wrapped around the other man and she moaned into his mouth. When she broke their kiss she lunged back for the dark haired one, already committed to getting her taste of him sated.

She pulled her legs loose from his hold and felt the blue haired dancers hands at her waist making sure she gained her feet safely, when she pulled her mouth from the black haired one she lunged in to start kissing and biting his neck, drawing a growl from him that thrilled her.

She loved they weren't even bothering to talk to her, she didn't want to talk, she just wanted their bodies, wanted wild memory burning sex with them. She trailed her kisses and nips down his chest, licking over pierced nipples, feeling one of his hands pull the tie from her hair so the other could slid into her black tresses.

Another growl came from him and she wondered momentarily what she'd done to earn it but didn't stop her decent down the muscular body of the man before her, her hands now on the belt holding his tight black pants. She'd never done anything like this, hadn't been in a mans arms in years, since before she'd taken that…job. Right out of college she'd done it, having no idea what it would cost her.

She got the belt undone and was working on the clasp and zipper of the pants when the other man knelt beside her, pushing his hands into her hair, turning her face toward him, his lips slanted over hers and the kiss was just mind numbing, exactly what she wanted, God his tongue, she loved the double studded one the black haired man had, but this man was just incredibly skilled with his…oh…she knew what she was going to be asking of him soon…oh Gods yes…

A green glow confused her, she hadn't seen any green lights in the room, and when she opened her eyes, her mind shut down.

"Fuck Bix, what, were you planning to just wait till she fucked me?!" Gajeel shoved Bickslow hard enough he fell over backwards laughing.

"I thought about it, shit, I was wondering if she was just gonna strip you or start blowing you, I should have waited to find out…" He cackled, dodging the other mans boot narrowly and only because the womans limp body was still partially between them.

A door opened and Cana and Laxus came in.

"Shit! Bickslow! Wake her back up, I've got 1000 jewel saying she was totally gonna blow him." Cana cried, earning a dark glare from the Iron Slayer who stepped quickly away from the woman on the floor.

"Yeah, get back in position Gajeel, I say she was just gonna strip you." Laxus was smirking. Evergreen and Freed came into the room, Ever grinning "my jewel was on the blowjob." The woman smirked at Gajeel who rolled his eyes.

"Fuck all of you, especially you Soul boy." Gajeel growled. "You were supposed to knock her out the moment she looked at you."

"Well yeah, but shit, she was totally into you, I was a little insulted when she pulled away from me to kiss you again, figured I'd let her go a bit ya know?" Bix grinned, picking the woman up off the floor and carrying her over to place her on the bed. Then he climbed up beside her and sat on his bent legs, looking down at her. She was staring wide eyed, a soft green glow covering her eyes.

"Oh Bix, give her a seriously wild fucking memory of you two, she's been through hell, she deserves it." Cana said.

"Oh, I'm gonna ruin her for any man after this, shit, she's gonna think I'm a sex God…I can give Gajeel erection problems and premature issues." He cackled.

Gajeel lunged for him and he jumped off the bed out of the Iron Slayers reach.

"Enough! Bix, the woman doesn't deserve anything disappointing." Laxus bellowed and Gajeel smirked at the Seith he'd just caught by the golden collar around his neck "Make us BOTH Gods." He said darkly. "I ever run into her again I don't want any funny looks."

Bix held his hands up in surrender "One erotic fantasy night coming up. Was there anything else information wise we needed from her? I gotta extract before I implant or the implant will fuck up her recall of anything I pull, she'll be like remembering blowing Gajeel while she was at work or some shit."

"We got everything yesterday, make her smile Bix." Laxus said and Gajeel released the Seith who returned to the woman on the bed.

While he was busy the rest went around the suite messing it up so it looked well used, food was put out that they happily started eating until Bix left the bed and came over, grabbing up a chicken leg "Ok, she's ready for you Laxus." Laxus nodded, heading over to the woman and picking her up off the bed.

As electricity flashes brightened the room Gajeel frowned, biting off the head of a spoon "Aint that gonna fuck with the memories you just put in her?" He asked nodding toward what Laxus was doing.

"Nope, I put those memories right into her soul Metal face, Laxus is just wearing her body out, giving her some good deep aches and pains so she really believes what her memory will tell her she spent the night doing." Bix replied with a smirk, pouring himself some wine.

Laxus finished, put the woman back on the bed and returned to the group, accepting a glass of whiskey from Cana.

"Ok, so we just strip her naked and come back in the morning to see her out to her goons and we've got this shit wrapped up." He said.

"You two." He said looking at Gajeel and Bickslow "Watch over her and stand guard until the club closes down. You can't be seen in case her goons are hanging around. I…am going to go have some fun." He smirked then, heading back to the door he had entered through. Cana put her glass down, running over to the bed "Hang on, I am so going with!" She called, Evergreen joining her and the pair stripped the woman on the bed, drew the bed curtains so Bix and Gajeel could walk with suite without getting an eye full then dashed after Laxus.

"Freed, would you bring us some more grub and at least one more bottle of scotch?" Bickslow gave Freed his best wide eyed look and Freed rolled his eyes "Yes, I'll bring up food for both of you, leave whats out alone it's what is supposed to be part of her memory." He looked at Gajeel "Any special requests?" The slayer grinned and Freed sighed "I'll see how much of their cutlery I can get my hands on."

Gajeel slapped him in the back sending him staggering and turned toward the adjouning room where a large lacrima screen couch and chairs were part of a comfortable room featuring a massive fireplace and access to the balcony that overlooked the street outside the front of the club.

"Oh shit! I bet they've got some intense movies!" Bix grinned, dashing past the slayer who snarled at him "No porn Bickslow! I aint watching that shit in the same room with you!"

"Aww come on Iron Balls! I always thought you weren't a shy little prude!" The Seith snickered and Freed rolled his eyes as he left the suite to go get the food and drinks for the pair, hoping Bickslow wouldn't be bolted to the wall when he got back.

Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Three weeks earlier

Lucy narrowed her eyes, doubling her speed as she chased after the dark mage. Taurus running alongside her. The little water mage was no match for her and Taurus and knew it now. Natsu and the rest of her team were busy laying waste to the rest of the dark mages and the building that had housed their black-market operation.

It was a council job, the first Team Natsu had been allowed to take in a long while. The pay was amazing and they'd been told if they destroyed the building the council wouldn't care. It was well away from other properties, set out on a farm about a mile from the town of Oshiban.

They had been hunting for a team of dark wizards that were supposedly selling and implanting black market lacrimas. The group had built an entire medical facility inside the decrepit barn behind the little farm house on this property, it hadn't looked the least bit suspicious and were it not for the comings and goings of "clients" to the place and the trouble those people had caused in Oshiban, they never would have found it.

Fortunately, though they had, and one, when he ran afoul of Gajeel who was in town hunting for him had mentioned being there to visit the "surgery". Gajeel had called the Master knowing a team was on a job looking for that and after some…persuasion, from Erza and Natsu, the man had told them where the place was.

So now they were working to apprehend all of the mages involved having brought Gajeel with them since he was already there and had provided them with the information crucial to the job.

Even adding him into the split of the reward, they were all walking away with over 400,000 jewel each for this.

The mage ahead of her suddenly hit a panel on the wall he'd just reached, Lucy had thought the chase was over, it looked like a dead end, but the panel opened and the wage ran through it down some stairs, using her whip she was just able to catch the edge of the panel before it slid back into place.

"What these assholes even built secret stairs into this place?" She grumbled. Taurus grabbed the edge of the panel and ripped it away, it would never shut again and Lucy knew Gray wasn't far behind her, only held up by a moment to finish of the mage he'd been fighting when Lucys opponent had taken off, he'd frozen his into a block of unconscious ice and pelted after her.

So, confident she had back up, she didn't hesitate to race down the stairs behind Taurus.

Taurus was already deflecting water attacks with little effort as they cleared the staircase wall and Lucys whip snaked out across the floor and caught the mages ankle, ripping him off his feet as she called Virgo out.

The maid didn't waste time with pleasantries, blue eyes snapping to the struggling water mage she ran up the length of the whip and fell on the man, knocking him unconscious.

"Great job guys!" Lucy called with a grin, her smile fell almost instantly though as she took in her surroundings.

This was a surgery room, two medical tables were set up and one…was occupied.

A small woman with long emerald green hair was chained to a table. She was naked, only a thin drape over her pelvis and her chest was bandaged heavily. Lucy walked toward the table, snatching up the "chart" that hung from it.

"Experiment 32, unknown lacrima. Female age 20 purchased in Shindlee 120,00 Jewel invested. Implant performed…" Lucys voice trailed off, the implant had been done more than two weeks ago and the woman was still chained to the table?!

"If you won't be neeeeding me Lucy, I'll be moooooving on." Taurus said and Lucy glanced at the bull, smiling at him "Yeah thanks Taurus, great work, you can go…"

There was a small increase in light and Taurus was gone. Gray pounding down the stairs "Lucy! You ok down here?!" He slowed as soon as he reached the floor and saw what she was doing.

"Who's that?" He asked suspiciously.

"I don't know Gray, from the chart here is says she was…purchased and they were experimenting on her, put a lacrima they didn't even have information about into her…" Lucy felt tears stinging her eyes, whether they were from the anger she felt over what these assholes were doing, or pity for the woman on the table or both she wasn't sure.

"Shit…" Gray breathed, leaning over the woman "She's pretty…" He observed.

"Yeah, well, whoever she is she sure as hell didn't deserve this…We have to get her out of here, get help for her, this says they did the implant two weeks ago, I really hope they haven't had her chained to this table the whole time…"

"Yeah no kidding, I'll go get Gajeel, pretty sure he can fuck these chains up with ease." Gray turned and headed back up the stairs.

"I have bound the mage Princess may I assist with more?" Virgo asked. Lucy frowned slightly, mind racing for a moment, she could have Virgo check the bandages on the mage, but they looked clean and she didn't want anything messed up that wasn't already.

"No Virgo, thanks for all your help." She replied, Virgo bowed and vanished and a few moments later Gajeel came down the stairs.

"So what did you find Bunny?" He came up beside her frowning down at the woman.

"Fuck…Icicle said you needed chains busted and there was someone down here needing our help." As Gray had said, he made short work of the chains and pulled the woman from the table into his arms. "Let's get her out of here, his ass can rot in those chains till the authorities come get him."

Standing in the "reception" area of the facility Erza called the Master, none of them were certain what to do with the woman they had found.

Erza filled Makarov in on the results of the mission, and then told him about the woman.

"That's very upsetting, it's probably best to inform the council, take her to the hospital in Oshiban, the Rune Knights will hopefully be able to find out who she is and get her home." Makarov said.

"NO! Master, I'm sorry but no, don't hand her over to the Knights." The voice was from somewhere in the office Makarov was sitting in. Makarov frowned, clearly looking at whoever had spoken.

"Why not? If the girl was purchased from some slave trader the Rune Knights will be able to help her better than we can." The Master reasoned.

"Master, I've been working with the Raijinshuu for two months now on what we were just talking about before Cakelady called, if that girl has a stolen lacrima in her the council is going to want to know which one, and they won't be careful about how they find out, she could disappear permanently if we hand her over."

Makarov was silent a moment then looked back into the lacrima at Erza "Bring her here, Gajeel, Lucy, get her out of there before the knights arrive and bring her back to Fairy Tail. We'll see what we can do to help her." He said.

Lucy nodded, turning quickly and racing back into the facility and back to the room they'd found the girl in, wrenching the chart from the table and looking around to see if there was any other trace of her. "Open, gate of the maiden!" She called. Virgo appeared "Punishment princess?"

"Not now Virgo, I need you to gather up everyone in this facility and bring them outside fast." She said, Virgo bowed and grabbed the still unconscious water mage before shooting up the stairs with Lucy not far behind.

Even though Lucy went straight to the others, Virgo almost beat her outside.

"The fuck you doing Bunny?" Gajeel demanded, watching the maid dump a pile of groaning tied up dark mages on the ground.

"They have records here, somewhere, we don't have time to look for them, look, I've got a feeling we need to hide this woman from the council, we were already told the council didn't care if we destroyed the place, Natsu…burn it down. Any evidence this woman was here will burn with it." Lucy said.

Erzas eyes widened, Natsu was grinning "Seriously? You WANT me to destroy a place?"

"Do it, quickly, so there is smoke when the knights are approaching." Erza snapped and Natsu cackled gleefully, turning toward the barn and the building hidden within it.

"We'll get greenie here out of the area and see you guys back at the guild." Gajeel said and started off a a brisk pace, his long strides making it so Lucy had to jog to keep up but she didn't complain.

Gajeel knew how to avoid the knights, and was more than strong enough to handle doing so while carrying the unconscious woman, though Lucy had to remind him more than once not to handle her like she was a sack of potatoes.

She sent Virgo to collect their bags from the hotel, since they were rushing to make the train for Magnolia and didn't have time.

They got a few odd looks, Lucy explained their friend had been injured and had taken some pain meds and passed out and that seemed to handle the direct question from the railroad employees.

They got a private compartment since neither wanted to deal with more odd looks than they had to and so Gajeel would have a comfortable place to lay down. He handled motion sickness better than Natsu did, but only marginally and only if he could get comfortable and sleep through it. So he took the bed by the window and Lucy unfolded the bench, laying down with the green haired woman beside her hoping beyond hope she didn't wake up in some bizarre panic.

The ride from Oshiban took 7 hours, Gajeel slept through most of it, Lucy read and napped and fortunately, their charge never woke up or even stirred.

Wendy greeted them at the Guild and followed Gajeel as he carried the woman upstairs to the infirmary while Lucy hurried to the master office, noticing as she did that Cobra followed her.

Cobra along with the rest of Crime Sorciere had joined Fairy Tail not too long after Tartaros. With the magic council reforming steadily, joining a legal guild had been the best way to avoid landing back in prison and thanks to the help of Bickslows influential father even Jellal had been pardoned with some minor restrictions involving crossing international lines and such.

Sorano, Sawyer and Richard had formed their own team but Jellal and Cobra had mostly gone solo. Cobra often joining the Raijinshuu on jobs because he got along so well with Bickslow the Seith mage had even rented a room to him in his oversized brownstone by the market district.

It was odd he followed her, but she didn't have time to question it.

As soon as Makarov called out to enter Lucy hurried into his office. "We're back master, Gajeel took her upstairs, she still hasn't woken up yet, this is the only information we saw, it was attached to the table.

"They implanted an unidentified lacrima in her, two weeks ago. So all we really know is that and that she is 20 years old." Makarov said, handing the paper to Cobra who frowned at it while Lucy was watching him in confusion, unsure of why he was even there in the first place.

"Don't' worry about it Jugs." He snapped and she glared, she always forgot he could pick up her ideas and strong thoughts.

"Says she was bought for 120k out of Shindlee, pretty busy slave trade port off south shore in international waters." Cobra said then turned, handing the paper to Lucy and pushing past her to leave the office.

"Hey! You don't need to shove me you ass!" Lucy hissed, following behind him.

"I do when you're in the fucking way standing around spending half an hour trying to figure out what the fuck to do next, I don't have time to wait while your scattered thoughts gather." He snapped back at her.

Lucy actually recoiled a moment at that, she honestly was in the habit of taking too long to take any action in a lot of situations, something she was trying to work on.

She followed Cobra up to the infirmary where Wendy was already at work on the woman, Gajeel standing off to one side, he looked up when they came in and Lucy stood by him, of the two men she far preferred Gajeels company.

Cobra didn't care what the blonde thought, he was more interested in this woman, what had happened to her, who had purchased her and what sort of lacrima was in her.

He had a list of the "never existed" missing Lacrimas that Jellal had been putting together for the last couple of years during all of his work with Crime Sorciere.

The old man had put the Raijinshuu onto pursuing this steadily building mystery Jellal had started uncovering related to the magic implant lacrimas and the Magic Development and Research division of the Magic Council.

Jellal continued his personal quest to hunt dark mages and dark guilds, but this little thing he'd started had become big enough Makarov wanted it looked into and he'd gotten some silent supporters that were keeping the mages on the job paid and well-funded.

"Can you tell what they put into her?" Cobra asked hopefully. Wendy frowned, her magic was still flowing and she tried prodding the implant a little to see if her magic could identify it like it could see other parts of the womans internal organs and systems. There was a spark, a distinct one too.

"Some kind of…electricity, maybe lightning of some kind." She said, and Cobra frowned, right there on the list was a multiscale lightning lacrima. So if this was that lacrima, it had been stolen from the Magic council, a couple of years ago, proof that the information about the council keeping them though they denied it, was true.

It wasn't a Dragon magic lacrima, so it was removable still, which had probably been the dark guilds plan, implant it in a cheap slave, find out what it was, remove it, and in doing kill the slave because removing a lacrima once it was implanted always killed the person, and then sell the lacrima.

The only lacrima they couldn't do that with were the Dragon ones like the one in him, because once the dragon soul fragment in the lacrima bound to the person so the magic could be used, the lacrima itself was useless.

So she would be in danger if the council found out she had one of their rare missing lacrima in her.

"Let me know when she wakes up, it's important for her safety." He said roughly, adding the last because he knew if he didn't Lucy and Gajeel both would be wondering why they should bother letting him know anything.

Gajeel was hovering mostly for Wendy and Lucys sakes. He wanted to go downstairs and get a beer or four then go the hell home to his comfortable bed. But if this woman turned out to be dangerous when she woke up, someone would need to be there that was strong enough to restrain her.

If she had a lightning lacrima in her, he could ground himself pretty easily and pull any attacks to himself, keeping Wendy and Lucy safe.

"You don't need to stay Bunny, I'll keep watch." Gajeel said gruffly. Lucy gave him a grateful look but still lingered a moment before smiling, she was about to offer to go get him some food and a beer when she was cut off.

"No need Metalhead, I'm taking first watch on the woman, gramps just called Porlyusica Kiddo, to give you a hand with this." Laxus said, coming into the room and smiling at Wendy.

Lucy kept her eyes off the big blonde, he had always made her uncomfortable and now was no different. "So both you and Blondie can go home and get some sleep, me and the Raijinshuu will watch her tonight."

Gajeel eyed the Lightning Slayer and shrugged, heading for the stairs, no point in arguing and besides, who better to watch over someone who might wake up spewing lightning everywhere than the Lightning Slayer?

"Fine by me. Night Wendy." He ruffled the girls hair as he passed and she grinned up at him, the affection obvious between them. Gajeel, just like the other Slayers in the guild had long since taken a deep liking to the child and all of them were protective of her, even Cobra.

Accidentally catching Laxus' eye and blushing when she did, Lucy ducked her head and turned to hug Wendy "Good Night Wendy."

"Night Lucy." Wendy smiled and Lucy hurried to the stairs, feeling storm colored eyes on her and blushing more and hating herself for every bit of it.


	2. Chapter 2 Little Potion Master

It was four days before the woman woke, and the event proved to be very unworthy of her round the clock guard rotation being handled by the Raijinshuu Gajeel, and Cobra (who had rationalized he could probably knock her out faster than Evergreen could turn her to stone with one of his toxins.

She simply opened her eyes, which were amethyst colored, and looked at Wendy in confusion. She had no idea where she was, didn't remember anything that had happened to her, her last memory was tending to her tiny shop, an Alchemic elixir and tonic shop she had opened a couple of years earlier in Branth, a nice merchant route town close to the border with Fiore in Bosco.

Her name was Emma, she had no family, had been an orphan since she was 10, the Boscan guild White Sea had sponsored her since she had a natural elemental magical talent to attend the school in Branth and when she had graduated at 16 with a certificate in Alchemy, she had opened her shop with some grant money and had been living a quiet life in Branth selling elixers, tonics and various compounds and potions.

"You're a potion master?" Porlyusica almost smiled, practically looked fucking friendly, it was enough to make Cobra and Bickslow both take steps back.

"Well…yeah." She replied, looking around somewhat sheepishly "I…I really want to go home…I…I don't know what's happened to my shop, or my home upstairs from it…" She chewed her lower lip unhappily and Cobra narrowed his eyes, she was fully worried about what had become of what she had built back in Branth.

She wasn't lying to them, she really had no clue what had happened or how she had gotten here. She didn't even know where "here" was.

"You're inside the Fairy Tail guild in Magnolia in Fiore." Cobra told her in answer to her wondering. She blinked at him, utterly confused, how the hell had she ended up in Fiore?

"We're going to find out how you ended up in Fiore, we don't really know yet, we rescued you from some dark mages that had you. We'll contact Branth officials and find out if your business and home are still ok." He said, she shook her head and Bix put a hand on Cobra arm before he said more "She's overwhelmed man, too much info. Let her process what she's got. Her souls all over the place."

Cobra glanced at Bickslow, Cobra could hear souls speak and sing, but Bickslow could see them, manipulate them, even heal or destroy them. Between the two of them, nobody could hide or lie about anything with both of them in the room.

As Porlyusica engaged the woman in a conversation about potions Cobra looked at Bix "Think you can retrieve her lost memories?" He asked.

Bix nodded "Yeah, but I'm betting they're not happy ones, she's a little fragile right now, we should talk it over with the Master and the boss man first."

The two men rose, leaving Emma in the care of Wendy and Porlyusica, guarding her was no longer a concern since she clearly wasn't going to freak out and was a nice, pleasant, seemingly calm natured woman.

They would talk this over and decide what the next move was going to be and how the guild was going to go about helping their confused charge.

Emma looked up when the man they all called "Master" came in, so much shorter than the others it shocked her he had gained the title but magic didn't need a large vessel to be powerful.

She was at a complete loss, the last thing she remembered was getting ready to close her shop, planning to go to the tavern across the street for dinner then curling up with a book in bed.

She rarely cooked, the Tavern owner used so many of her potions and elixers he'd set up a sort of account between them and he and his wife always seemed to owe her more than she could ever eat or drink away and the owners wife was an incredible cook so she ate most of her meals there except when she was busy during the day then one of the barmaids brought over a bag lunch for her. She couldn't even remember the last time she had used her kitchen.

Her home was a little one bedroom apartment above her shop, it wasn't much but it was cozy and she owned the building outright thanks to the generous grant from White Sea when she had graduated.

She liked Porlyusica, the sour demeanor of the woman reminded her of several of the professors she had studied under and Wendy was just a delight.

They made the jarring, very unhappy situation she had awakened to a little easier to bear. The whole thing had her mind reeling and worry about her home and business back in Bosco would have overwhelmed her if not for Porlyusicas steady questions about potions, compounds, elixirs and tonics. Talking about her passion steadied her.

Cobra frowned looking at the master and Bickslow, Laxus Freed, Evergreen and Lucy were all in the room. The discussion had become heated. Lucy was determined to protect their guest from further harm, Cobra and Bickslow didn't want to hurt her but everyone needed information.

Makarovs news after calling Branth wasn't happy either.

The town had been sieged, razed by a clan with grievances against the government. Branth was a total loss, the town simply did not exist anymore, wiped off the map by the clan that had attacked it. Until the Boscan Council had spoken to Makarov they were unaware of any survivors, but the story from Makarov had the Boscans mobilizing some teams to check slave venues.

It sounded like Emma had been taken, sold as a slave by the clan that had razed her town then sold to the Dark guild that had experimented on her. Information from Porlyusica also was grim about what all had apparently been done to the young woman.

Emma clean memory was probably the only thing keeping her together. Or at least that's what Lucy believed, and Evergreen and surprisingly Laxus agreed with her.

"You're not giving her enough fucking credit!" Cobra snarled "I can hear the womans soul, right now even she's relatively calm, chatting with Porlyusica and Wendy, I think she deserves to know what the hell happened to her. I'd want to know if it were me, wouldn't you Jugs?" He glared at Lucy who glared back .

"Quit calling her that Cobra, and what if Bix just pulls the memories and we tell her? Why make her keep them? Does she need the fucking nightmares? She'll still find out what happened through us." Laxus said.

"It's not the same, it's harder to believe, harder to resolve when she's got no memory of it all. It's there though, I promise you, the way her sould looks? It's all there." Bix responded.

"Maybe Bickslow can help her through it, he and Cobra can monitor how she's dealing with the information and we can prevent her from having a break down." Makarov said.

"I'm telling you she's stronger than you're all giving her credit for! Fuck… I think we should ask HER if she wants the memories or not, let her chose, it's her fucking mind we're talking about screwing with." Cobra spat.

"Soul, I ain't no shrink. Once the memories pathways are open it will all come crashing in on her, I can't prevent that really, she'll relive it all. Now I can remove them totally so she can't revisit them, hell I can even implant false happy shit but if she tries to go home, and I bet she'll want to, boom, her soul starts getting sick trying to recall." Bickslow said.

"I think we should let her decide, I hate to say it but I agree with Cobra, it's her life, her memory." Freed said firmly.

Everyone looked at him in mild surprise, he usually didn't disagree with Laxus. Lucy frowned, she could see their point, just robbing the woman of those memories, as horrible as they probably were, wasn't fair. They should ask.

"God…I agree too, we should ask her." Lucy admitted.

"Bet that fucking hurt to say." Cobra smirked.

"Oh fuck off Cobra." Lucy snapped.

So Bickslow stood. "Welp, lets get our asses up to ask her, just Cobra and I, she doesn't need a circus. She's confused enough." The Seith said, Cobra stood with him and as they started leaving the room Laxus stood, glaring at both of them when they gave him a surprised look.

"If she lets loose with lightning you two are both fucked if I'm not there to help." He stated flatly. They couldn't argue.

The womans eyes were large as the three men entered and Porlyusica leveled them all with a look that made all three look away, if they hurt the woman it was pretty clear she wouldn't be kind to them.

"Ok, so, we know what happened, sort of, just really an outline, but the details might matter, might help us put some pieces together in a bigger puzzle, save lives. The memories are in you, I can get them out, help you remember if you want to, or pull them out and wipe them from your memory for good. It's not a happy story Potion girl, you ready to hear it?" Bix asked.

Bickslow had never once claimed any special ability to communicate, or that he was good with words, far from it. However, between himself, Cobra and Laxus, he was by far the best choice to do the talking here.

"I want the memories back, no matter what they are….I don't like this crap, having this gaping hole in my head. It's like I'm missing a piece of who I am." She replied.

"Ok, first, you need to know the reason there's a hole in your chest." Bix said, she narrowed her eyes "There was a lacrima implanted, Wendy told me, it's another missing piece I want back. Why can I do this…" She held up her hand and splayed her fingers and electricity skipped and danced, crackling between them in a variety of colors that even had Laxus' eyes widening.

He reached forward and both Emma and Laxus held their breath as there was an arc between his hand and hers. She felt it, he had to be able to work this kind of magic that was just alien inside of her, the electricity that came off of him was warm, natural, like something from a storm, she felt the same type spark and arc with his from her, but other types, types that weren't so natural, crackled over her hand.

Laxus felt the woman lightning twist with his, alternating between a couple of light types until it matched his and the arc strengthened, gaining too much power too fast, frowning, he drew it off and was going to send it down but when he pulled the arc blue and black came with it, slamming into him and he grit his teeth.

He identified them quickly, his own mastery of lightning centralized natural lightning, gold and white, these were types that did not occur in nature, black was shadow, blue was cold. When he felt them he knew right away he'd not feel great afterward, but they were edible, he could absorb them, gain power from them. He grounded it all with some unpleasant effort, and dropped his hand back to his side while the woman, Bix and Cobra stared at him.

"She's got nothing I can't handle. That's lighting magic, yours is hitting more spectrums, you shouldn't mix them, they can repel each other, alternate charges, cause your control to slip unexpectedly. You could kill someone, including yourself." He told her.

She put her hand back in her lap wide eyed still. "okaaay." She said uncomfortably.

"Learning to use it you can do later, I can help you, I have a lacrima myself…I get how hard it is to adjust." Laxus told her.

"No shit." Cobra agreed, his own Lacrima hadn't been pleasant to adjust to, he didn't know how many times his heart, lungs, various organs had shut down painfully, leaving him in agony until the lacrima attended them, saturated them, got his body adjusted to pumping toxins.

Laxus' thoughts were right along the lines of Cobras. When his father had implanted the lacrima in him, it had surged lightning through him, blinding him in body wide agony he couldn't even scream through, he'd felt it burning every nerve, it killed him, over and over and over and over again, always shocking him back to life so he could gasp in breaths, his heart could stutter again, his body could feel every nerve searing with electricity.

He'd never forget his fathers laughing as he'd convulsed and tried to scream, died before him over and over. Would never forget him joking with the implanting doctor about how if he died at least Ivan would know he'd tried to save his pathetic weakling of a son from a life of worthlessness.

But those memories weren't what they were here for. They made Laxus who he was, had both harmed and helped him, but it was this woman recovery of what had changed her life that mattered right now.

"Ok, Long as you understand, this won't be pretty. But we're here ya know? Ready to help, you aren't alone or any shit like that. Ready?" He asked.

"Nice pep talk Bix." Cobra quipped.

"Fuck off Flower sucker." Bix returned

"Shits tasty, you should try it." Cobra grinned.

"And Poisonous, your lack of interest in a friends' safety is low man." Bix tried to glare but his smirk wrecked it.

"If you two could quit flirting I'd like to get my memories back." Emma said, smiling at the two. They couldn't know it but their banter had probably been the most nerve soothing thing she'd been exposed to since she' woken up. Reminded her of home.

"Tch." Cobra gave her a dark frown but Bickslow grinned

"You should hear him when we're alone." He lolled his tongue out and Cobra grabbed him by his visor and yanked him over backwards, slamming the taller man on the ground and was about to take a swing at him but found himself convulsing along with Bix as Laxus glared at them both and jolted them out of their childish bickering with a healthy amount of electrical reminding.

Emma snorted as Laxus yanked Bickslow up of the floor and set him wobbling on his feet.

"Lightning wont save you from poison Sparky." Cobra hissed.

"No but it can fry your ass before you can get any into me. Now you two knock it off, you're acting like idiots, gonna convince Emma we're all a bunch of freaks." Laxus said darkly.

"Whatever." Cobra waved a hand, crossing his arms over his chest and waiting for Bickslow to compose himself and get his ass in gear.

It wasn't his fault the Seith loved to push Dragon Slayer buttons as some sort of fucked up thrill.

Bickslow focused though, and both Cobra and Laxus closed their eyes for the brief flood of green light that took the womans will away and left her staring at Bickslow with a faint green glow in her eyes.

"Ok, so, if you guys each put a hand on a shoulder you'll get to ride along while I pull these memories, warning you now, it hits hard, you're gonna smell it, hear it, like you're right there and if you piss yourself I am totally making fun of you for the rest of your fucking life." He grinned at the two men, who he honestly would trust with his life and considered more his brothers than his friends anymore.

Both of them glared back, and not painlessly he had heavy hands grasp each of his shoulders.

"The ride" was a nasty experience. Delving into a soul, especially a strong one wrought with pain so bad it had been imprisoned to protect the mind was never simple or easy.

While Cobra and Laxus couldn't know what Bickslow was actually doing, they were carried along with the results and a town opened up, they were suddenly standing in the middle of a street.

Screams, horror, the stench of fear, pain, blood and death assailed them.

Were it not for their grasps on the Seith mage both men would have staggered.

Creatures, bizarre alien looking beasts with blood and gore dripping from sharp teeth and double pupiled eyes that seemed to miss nothing moved in creepy unnatural movements.

"Those are Grass Runners, the primary beast of burden for the Grass Sea in Bosco, all of the clans use them, rely on them. They're predatory, intelligent, smarter than wolves and nastier too, loyal to their riders, they move like that because they're used to running on the moving surface of the Grass Sea, they look odd on solid land." Bickslow explained.

The Seith was calm, turning his head to take in the small storefront to their right and the scene of horror unfolding on the ground in front of it.

Men who moved like the beasts they rode were holding down Emma while a woman yanked her pants down and roughly rammed a finger between her legs. "Not a virgin, shit I don't think there are any in this piece of shit town. Toss her with the others." The woman said, and it was bizarre, she was speaking in a language neither Cobra nor Laxus knew but they understood her.

"I speak it and so does Emma and we both speak common too so you guys are understanding through us." Bickslow said when Laxus asked about it.

Emma was screaming, trying to reach toward a woman that was in the center of the street to Bickslows left, two men were raping her violently while a third held a man, who had to be her husband, and made him watch while he was bleeding out around a dagger in his throat.

They watched it all happen, the town was razed, bodies or dying people thrown into burning buildings. Emmas shop was ransacked, anything of value taken while she herself was beaten unconscious and thrown into a cart behind a pair of the snarling Grass Runners with other unconscious women and children. The scene faded when she finally lost consciousness.

Next they were inside a pit, listening while bidding was being called out, Emma was there, beaten and bloody, wearing a red shirt that Cobra knew was a slaver shirt. Red for non-virgin, purple right sleeve for 19-25 age, gold hem for magic user, the gold stripe was doubled to indicate she was educated so could work in finer houses.

"Beat to hell but still fighting, this one has toughness and stamina, sure she doesn't have big tits but she's young and ripe and ready for use. Magic rates a 4." The auctioner said as she was drug onto the platform. The bidding was sluggish on her, she went cheap, the pink haired woman before her that wasn't a magic user at all had gone for triple the amount because she'd had a big chest. 4 was a low power rating too, when he'd sold he'd rated an 8 and that was before the lacrima.

As soon as her buyer got her she was drugged, her vision swam and so did the world around them.

Next they were in some sort of room with two surgical tables, chained to one of the tables while a grubby man was jacking off over Emma while fondling her until another man came in and kicked him in the back of the head, sending him sprawling to the floor.

"Quit that shit, you'll get your nasty cum all over her and Raka will kill us both if he has to clean that up again before he does this implant." The man whod just walked in snarled. Looking down at Emma he checked her gag and restraints and the magic dampening manacles on her before he smiled down at her "Face still all swollen from the beatings you took in the pits and such, still almost pretty and I like green hair, shame we gotta be testing lacrimas on you but you're unfortunate enough to be tough and a fast healer. HAH! Nighty night honey, gotta take this one outa you and put in the next." He tapped her roughly bandaged chest and the scene faded. They watched as she drifted in and out of consciousness through three lacrimas and then, she woke up in Fairy Tails infirmary.

Bickslow pulled them back. Leaving the memories intact he brushed Cobra and Laxus' hands from his shoulders, both men staring unseeing forward as their minds tried to wrap around all they had just seen.

Cobra had been through worse, far worse really, she hadn't been raped at least, hadn't seemed to lose anyone but she'd known that woman that was raped, and the man that was dying while watching.

How much would Cobra have give to have been able to kill all of those bastards, to let go and just destroy every creepy moving one of them starting with the men killing that man and raping his wife.

This would be hard to deal with, but Cobra still felt like she could handle it, she was strong.

"Ok, gonna bring her back, you ready Laxus? If she's gonna loose control of that shit she's gonna do it when I bring her back." Bix said.

Cobra stood, he'd put her under, Laxus would keep the lightning from hitting them.

When she came too though, she didn't attack them, electricity crackled over her skin, they could feel their hair trying to stand but otherwise, she simply collapsed into soul wrenching sobs.

Because neither of the other two, nor even Wendy could get near her, Laxus moved to the bed and pulled her into his arms, her magic flowing harmlessly over him, light enough he had no trouble handling it while she cried into his chest.

Cobra narrowed his eyes, he knew who Raka was, knew the masturbating little shithead too, from Black Wyvern, a lesser Dark Guild that had been under Grimoire Heart. He hadn't seen Rakas name with list of the people arrested at the place in Oshiban… It was a lead, one they badly needed.

Emma was taken in, not surprisingly, by Lucy, and was released from the infirmary to get comfortable at Lucys while she decided what she was going to do next. Makarov offered her a place in Fairy Tail, and an apartment at Fairy Hills, so she would have options other than being homeless with no ideas for what to do with herself.

The first morning after Emma had gone to Lucys the Celestial mage had grumpily abandoned a good cup of coffee and her warm breakfast at the table where she was chatting with Emma to answer her door and stood in shock finding Laxus and Cobra there.

"What the hell are you two doing here? She needs some rest and time." Lucy snapped.

"She needs help learning her way around Lightning magic Blondie and mornings are training time for me so I'm here to collect her, she can train with me and the Raijinshuu until she learns how to use that magic and how to control it safely." Laxus retorted smoothly, looking past Lucy at the wide amethyst eyes of Emma.

She stood, "Give me five minutes." She said, going to the bathroom.

"And I need to ask you some questions about what you saw at that facility J….Lucy." Cobra glared at Laxus when the mans hand clamped on his shoulder and he slapped it away with a growl, stepping past Lucy into her apartment.

She glared at him "We could talk at the guild you know." She said. He shook his head at her "Too noisy. This is better, perfect in fact." He said shortly.

She frowned, he looked tense, stiff even, uncomfortable, more so than usual and she had no idea why, but she was plenty annoyed he had invited himself in.

Emma returned, hair brushed and plaited, still in the loose t-shirt and ill fitting sweat pants she'd slept in.

"You need to be wearing something you can move in, those will fall off of you." Laxus frowned.

"They're all I have, Lucys clothes don't fit me so this is it until I earn some money and can buy some. I can deal with it." Emma snapped in return, her eyes hard on his.

Laxus glanced at Lucy who shrugged "You could always give her time, we need to figure out what she can do, Master and Porlyusica have been talking about setting her up to do what she was doing before, she'd make great money at it, but her magic isn't ready for jobs. Mira said maybe she could work at the guild running the bar too." Lucy said.

Emma nodded "Yeah, I know how to mix about any drink, and my magic makes me able to set them up with unique flavors, so I was thinking of doing that until Porlyusica and Master Makarov decide about the apothecary and Alchemy shop."

"Can't do shit without clothes, come on Stems, we'll get Evergreen and get you some clothes so you can live a little. Call it the guild investing in trying to win a new member." Laxus offered.

It had nothing to do with the guild, he'd buy her clothes, she couldn't function with nothing but a shirt and sweatpants, hell the shoes on her feet didn't even fit.

"Stems?!" She narrowed her eyes on him, she knew arrogance when she saw it, she'd worked in the Tavern plenty in Branth. Seen her share of cocky guild mages and knights pass through.

His smirk was classic.

"Yeah, first thing I noticed about you, you've got nice legs. Lets get moving." He stepped aside so she could pass and, with a final wary glare at him and getting an encouraging nod from Lucy, who was thinking if Laxus wanted to pay for clothes for the woman then she should let him, the man wasn't hurting for money. Emma left Lucys apartment with Laxus and Lucy was left with an uncomfortable Poison Dragon Slayer standing in her kitchen.

Sighing she decided to put on her good hostess manners, pull up her big girl pants and deal with him being there.

"Wise choice." He quipped, earning himself a nasty look.

"Can I get you anything? Have you had breakfast? " She offered.

"Coffee, lots of sugar. Did you see a tall man with light red hair and a scar across his nose while you were taking down that facility?" He jumped right in, he was uncomfortable. Lucy always distracted him, the resonance of her soul made his own respond, and he hated it, hated her for it. Not that she could do anything about or even knew it did it but that was besides the point.

She poured the coffee, bringing the sugar dish to the table with a spoon and setting it down with the coffee mug before returning to her seat and her own breakfast.

Cobra seemed reluctant to join her, but after a moment he took the seat across from her and started ladling sugar into the coffee until Lucy smirked "You sure you don't want more coffee with your sugar?"

"Sugar is a mild toxin, so I like it, so did you see the guy?" He prodded.

"Wel, there was a tall guy with light red hair but I never saw his face, Gajeel was the one who was handling him." She admitted, smiling faintly as she watched him lick the spoon, God he was handsome, why were the sexy ones always assholes? Was there some sort of law somewhere that if a man was good looking and had some tasty sex appeal he had to be a prickly jackass?

"Union rules, any of us that look ok have to live up to certain standards, gives the other guys a better chance at getting laid." He snickered over his coffee mug smirking at her.

 _SHIT, shit shit shit, nice Lucy, forget every other time your around him he can fucking hear you_. She berated herself, but smiled sweetly

"I figured, guess you're especially dedicated to giving the other guys their chances huh? With the way you treat people I'm betting no woman in her right mind would touch you." It was a little on the nasty side for her usual banter with Cobra, but she was still mad at him for how he acted when Emma had been brought in, like the woman was nothing but a source of info he wanted and not a human being.

"You'd be wrong about my effect on women, and I considered Emmas reactions to things from the start, I just had goals, important ones." He said.

She narrowed her eyes. He was handsome, no denying it, with his lickable caramel skin indigo eye and thick mahogany hair, he had a very nice body even his layed dressing couldn't hide, like Bickslow, it was obvious he was hiding some seriously hot attributes under those clothes.

Still, as nasty as he was and as much as he hated people touching him…

"I'm not always nasty, and I let some people touch me…I'd let you." He added the last in a low voice that sent a shiver through her right down between her legs too.

 _Holy shit…ok could she redeem that offer now? Damn… it had been months and he was just…shit! Shut up Lucy! Think about puppies and fluffy kitties and gramps in his swimsuit…oh yeah, there's icewater to the crotch_.

Cobra almost gagged on his coffee at the little spiel she went through, for a moment the scent of her arousal had been sending his senses into overdrive and they were already bothering him, had been since he'd walked into the apartment and started drowning in the Strawberries and rum scent that was Lucy.

"Damn tinkerbell…" He snickered, shaking his head.

"Tinkerbell?" She frowned.

"You called me Peter Pan when I joined the guild." He reminded her. She smirked, "Because your ears got elf-like." She pointed out.

"I opened my second origin and enhanced my dragon magic, when I did it my ears changed a little." He shrugged.

 _Sexy, especially with the gold earring, God I'd love to lick that..ack! abort, mayday, shit I need to get laid_.

Cobra snorted, God he needed to hang out around her more, Lucy was fun. If it weren't for how much she messed with his usually calm thinking he might try to. But she found him attractive, very much so and more the more she was around him. The little darling of Fairy Tail could get his unpopular ass wrecked if he decided to fulfill any of the decidedly hot daydreams she had about him.

No, while those were all lovely fodder for him to go over when he was alone in the shower, he needed to keep a respectable distance. All of the other Dragon Slayers in the guild were protective of her, all of them held her in this "sister" type regard.

It was strange to him, Lucy was hot, beautiful, with a curvy sexy body and a little spitfire personality he liked, hell, everyone liked it. Yet none of them harbored any lustful thoughts, well, Gajeel sort of did sometimes, but shoved them aside quick, he was hung up on the little blue haired book worm for some strange reason. That was a freakish idea, massive Gajeel with the tiniest woman in the guild.

Laxus was protective, and had apparently harbored a bit of a crush on her until he got to know her, than that had changed and he viewed her now fully in the "sister" zone like Natsu did.

Natsu…that freak was chaos with a pulse. His thoughts were all over the damn place. He had on and off heated lusty thoughts about almost every woman in the guild except, Lucy, who he was viciously protective of and truly saw as a sister and best friend.

Cobra couldn't object to that, but it just seemed so creepy that of three powerful Dragon Slayers that he knew had the same animalistic lusts pumping through them that he had, none of them craved the sexy blonde.

He'd love nothing more than to let her come over and lick his skin, he'd bend her right over the table and fuck her senseless if he had his way, but the guild would kill him. He had a good thing going in Fairy Tail, loved his freedom, had his own place for the first time in his fucking life, he wasn't going to risk it all even for what would probably be some of the best sex he'd ever had.

"and what about a short guy, water mage, kind of resembles a fucking troll?" He asked. Lucys eyes widened "Yeah, I was the one that ran him down, he was there."

Cobra nodded, ok, so then Black Wyvern had in fact gotten their mits on stolen lacrima, lacrima that weren't supposed to exist that had been in the Councils vault that they claimed didn't exist either.

Raka might still be on the loose too, someone that could be run down, pumped full of certain toxins and made to talk…

"Thanks for the coffee Tink, I gotta run." He stood and headed for her door.

Lucy had been watching his lips hover over the edge of the coffee mug, seen his tongue run over it as he'd been thinking and had been sorely wishing she could take the mugs place at that moment when he was suddenly up and heading to the door.

"Yeah, glad to help?" She called after him, confused, why was he so interested in the men that had already been caught?


	3. Chapter 3 Digging in

Gajeel glowered at the little woman before him, red eyes clashing with hazel. "Shrimp and her team shouldn't be involved, this is high stakes, 10 year quest shit, higher than SS-class. Shadow gears got no business in it, it's too dangerous." He said firmly, his voice carrying a growling edge because of the depth of his conviction.

Levys face was reddened in anger, her eyes flashing, teeth grinding "You need someone to translate scripts you pompous ass, I'm not doing it for free and I want to be part of this!" She snarled back.

"Justine can translate shit just fine, just because we had to come to you for one damn language doesn't mean you're suddenly vital to the mission." He returned, a faint smirk tilting his mouth, he couldn't help it, she was fucking adorable when she was this pissed off and damn if it wasn't exciting him.

Besides that, they were neck deep in some seriously deadly waters here now, he didn't want Levy involved, it really was getting dangerous and while she had the skill, he wanted her safe and the two dumbasses she was teamed with had no business anywhere near shit this serious. Undercover work, teaming up with foreign governments and secret watchdog organizations was beyond upper level work.

They'd already involved Cana because she could enchant cards that could ID Lacrimas.

Laxus folded his thick arms over his chest, his own thunderous frown joining the argument but not the way Gajeel wanted it.

"This mission is being led by me Metalhead, the Raijinshuu has the contract and the final say. We already pulled you in, and Cana too. Freed can't read these scripts, Levy can, we don't have time to wait for Freed to learn a damn dead language and we can't afford mistakes. Levy is in but Levy, Jet and Droy are NOT." His firm resonating finish to his statement killed Levys victorious smile, but she still gave Gajeel a gloating smirk before turning her attention to Laxus.

"Fine, you forgot about Cobra, or is he staying behind from this point on?" She asked. Cobra snorted from behind Laxus, the Lightning Slayer narrowed his stormy eyes on the little woman, their size difference suddenly becoming glaring as he took a step toward her, towering over her.

Laxus wouldn't tolerate the little bookworm trying to nitpick some stupid little sense of victory out this, he didn't give a damn if she had some need to feel like she had control or whatever little bit of crap she was fishing for by trying to push his buttons, she could flirt with the Iron Slayer all she wanted, she wasn't pulling her shit with him.

"Cobra is a member of the Raijinshuu, has been since we started this mission shorty, and what we're dealing with is beyond anything you've ever been involved with before so I won't tolerate any of your attempts at showing off your smart mouth, keep it in check or get the fuck out, you'll listen, you'll follow orders or I will kick you to the curb so fast your headband will spin off, got me?" His presence was menacing, his tone left no room for argument unless she wanted him to kick her out now.

Gajeel reacted without thinking to it, stepping in suddenly beside Levy, his own arms crossed over his chest, and he caught Laxus' gaze, the two slayers clashing in a brief clash of dominant males that both had their reasons for facing off in that moment.

The exchange was swift between them, silent and even Levy didn't understand what happened but Laxus turned "Your ass Metalhead, clear?" He snapped "Yeah." Gajeel replied. That was the end of it, Levy was in, apparently, somehow, Gajeel was good with it, and Laxus was walking out of his office upstairs in the guild hall "We're on the train to Hargeon in one hour, haul ass kiddies." He snapped.

"What was that?" Levy breathed to Cana, who came up beside her as the Rainjinshuu and Gajeel fell in behind Laxus and headed from the guild to get ready to leave.

Cana patted her shoulder "I get the feeling Gajeel just stuck up for you somehow but hell if I really know, hope you're ready for undercover work Levs, cause we're going in deep. Come on, we gotta get packed or that asshole really will leave us behind."

The pair hurried to Fairy Hills, Levy quickly gathering her clothes and the few books she had on the language she'd be working with. She knew precious little about what this mission was about.

What she knew so far was that the Raijinshuu had been on this for the last 3 months, had added Cobra to their ranks apparently at the start of it. They returned intermittently to Magnolia to report in to the master, rest and bit, and then would leave again for weeks.

The pay out on the mission was substantial, though who was paying them she didn't know yet, they were working undercover, and from what she had just learned today, when Freed and Laxus had brought her some lists to translate written in a dead language even she was (and she'd carefully avoided admitting this) a little sketchy on, they were operating carefully avoiding any Council or Rune Knight involvement. Only the King and Princess Hisui themselves knew what they were working on outside of Fairy Tails master and the people who had hired them.

It was, from what she'd gathered, not just a single employer, they were working for some sort of group that the King and Princess of Fiore were a part of. The mission was ranked one of the extremely dangerous 10-year class missions that usually only Gildarts or, when he'd been with the guild, Mystogen would take on.

With Laxus at a level of strength and power honestly at Wizard Saint levels anymore, Bickslow and Freed both S-class, Cobra SS-class and Gajeel S-class, the current team on the mission made sense, Cana was S-class now too, so this mission was pulling some of the guilds heaviest hitters.

While Levy still had yet to make S-class herself, she'd gone on missions with Gajeel that were that rank and while he'd been against her getting involved with this, like Cana said, she had a feeling his position had changed suddenly when Laxus had stepped up to her and started getting threatening.

She smiled faintly, they'd only been on a couple of somewhat awkward dates, but she knew Gajeel was attracted to her at least a little and she sure as hell was attracted to him.

She owed their progress to Lucy and Canas relentless encouragement, she herself second guessed her own appeal too much to have ever attempted getting to know Gajeel better than as a casual friend. She had been the one to ask him on their first date.

The man just refused to take hints.

But once they'd gotten past that, he'd asked her out on their second, and that had actually been fun, dinner and then the theater, he'd been, for him, incredibly well behaved too, only backhanding one guy for talking down to her into a wall.

She'd gone to his house a few times too for dinner, invited usually by Lily but once by Gajeel himself and always had a good time. Lily enjoyed teasing Gajeel, and Gajeel only seemed to display his good-natured tolerance of that and playful side where he didn't react to it with violence but instead with his own surprisingly sharp comebacks, when he was at home away from the guild.

Had she not experienced it, she never would have suspected the man even had a good-natured side, but she knew about it now, had seen it in private a few times.

She also knew her crush had long since moved well past that designation where Gajeel was concerned, but she hadn't even admitted that to Lucy yet, she'd barely admitted it to herself.

The Iron Slayers feelings for her though were hard to really nail down. He hid his feelings well, was cold, hard, stoic 99% of the time, it was rare to even see him smile, and tender feelings, things like romance, weren't something you thought of when you thought of him.

Still, he indulged her, had protected her many times, stood up for her, and was usually one of few who sincerely believed in her ability to fight and take on hard challenges.

His vehement refusal to want her involved in this mission had been a shock to her, and she was still feeling the sting and hurt of hearing him say he didn't feel she was up to it.

Having a man she was half in love with, who she looked up to and had come to see as one of her few real supporters turn on her like that, she shook her head, lugging her bags from her apartment and hurrying down the stairs, grateful to see Cana doing the same so she knew she was at least keeping pace with things.

Like Cana had said though, at the last moment, he'd been there, in that fleeting span of time when Laxus had been challenging her Gajeel had stepped to her side. She wished she knew what that swift little exchange had meant, but like Cana, she felt it had been Gajeel standing up for her.

Laxus' comment about it being Gajeels ass, as if somehow Gajeel had taken on responsibility for something still confused her though.

She and Cana were hurrying down the street when suddenly Lucy came out of nowhere, dragging her own pink suitcase and looking very much like she too was heading for the train station.

"Lu!" Levy called and Lucy jerked her head around, Levys eyes widened as she saw Cobra come up behind the celestial mage, snatching her bag up and saying something that had the blonde glaring furiously at him.

 _Oh please let Lucy be part of this I need her support with Gajeel acting like he is_. Levy thought.

"Levy!" Lucy let Cobra walk ahead and fell in stride between Levy and Cana.

"Tell me you're in Lu, I need to hear that." Levy said quietly.

"She is Shrimp, we're gonna need her spirits involved." A deep voice rumbled and suddenly her bag got light as it was lifted from her hand.

"Step it up, trains leaving in 10 minutes." The Iron Slayer prodded.

Cana squeaked and a familiar cackle sounded right behind them as her suitcase suddenly took to the air on a couple of Bickslows totems.

"If you swung that ass less you'd walk faster." He leered and Cana smirked at him "That a complaint?" She challenged.

"Hell no, an appreciative observation worthy of reward." The Seith grinned, his tongue lolling out and Cana laughed "We'll see about that."

"Just move, we don't have time for flirting." Laxus snapped.

They all quickened their paces, easier now that the girls had all been relieved of their bags, Laxus got them a private car, something that surprised everyone but made sense once they had all taken their seats.

"Ok, so this is pretty much our team, one more who will be coming to join us tomarrow. We're going down to Hargeon to begin establishing our covers and take over operations of the recently renovated club called Heavens Gate.

The club has been run for years as a lucrative cover for one of our employers less public dealings. Here's the assignments, and for the record they are NOT up for debate, you don't like em you can get on the next train back to Magnolia when we get to Hargeon." Laxus glared over them all and got one minor huff from Gajeel but ignored it.

"Okay, Cana, you're Taffy Peretti, the owner of the club. You collect rare magic items, buy, sell, trade in them. You've never been seen before what you're about to do in Hargeon but your identity has been used for a few years now by one of our employers, so you're about to become the face for a cover with some history, here's the file on who you're going to be, read it carefully, it's one of the reasons we chose you for this." He handed her a folder and Cana took it, sitting back in her seat and opening it to start going over it.

"Levy, you're Taffys book keeper and assistant, Lainy. You've got an established never before faced cover as well so read up." He handed Levy a folder.

"Cobra you're lead Bartender for the club, one of Taffys private "ponies" and you already know what you'll be doing." He nodded to the Poison slayer who nodded back with a grunt.

"Lucy, you're going to be the lead female dancer for the club, you got tagged as Layla Starbright, don't give me that look I didn't fucking come up with this shit, it's been getting put in place for the last two months so fucking deal with it. You'll be doing some exotic dancing but mostly you're in charge of keeping track of the other women dancers and establishing disguises and relaying messages via your spirits to important contacts as we go." He handed her her file.

"Freed, you're the business manager for the club and also one of Taffys personal toys. We'll be relying on you to keep track of everything not directly related to Taffy, since Levy will be in charge of that." Freed took his folder and returned to his seat.

"Evergreen, your lead hostess in charge of the second and third floor. So everyone understands, the first floor is the open to the general public dance club, second floor is reservation only exotic dance club, third floor is invitation only and has for the last few years been where wealthy and powerful people have come to enjoy the company of the clubs dancers. Yes, I mean sex so we'll be maintaining at least a façade of that still going on, Bickslow can handle things if we need to send a few here and there home with nice memories. Third floor overlooks the whole club so it's where we'll base ourselves, there are apartments on the fourth floor where we will all be staying." Laxus looked at Gajeel and Bickslow

"Gajeel, you and I are Taffys personal muscle and playthings as far as anyone else is concerned, get comfortable with the idea of Cana hanging on you and Cana I hope you can play it up because you'll be keeping Gajeel and I off the main menu for the dance club on the second floor by making it look like you're too fond of us to share us." Cana grinned "Nice!" she declared, reaching over and grabbing Gajeels ass where he stood a little ways to the side of her.

Gajeel growled, stepping out of her reach and giving her a withering look but he took the file handed to him.

"Bix is in charge of the male dancers and will be dancing himself like Lucy. The club has a system in place for the rank of employees using these." Laxus held up something that looked alarmingly similar to a dog collar.

"Black is general, silver is allowed access to the first two levels and has rank over the black. White is executive and declares the person unavailable for third floor requests and Gold is personal property of Taffy, only available if Taffy offers for third floor entertainment."

He started handing them out then and Levy gladly took a white one along with Freed. Everyone else got gold.

"Men wear tight black pants, no shirt, tight black vests and their collars, women wear little white dresses that includes you Levy, you may not be a dancer or hostess but you'll have to wear club clothes just like Freed will, you can't stand out as different beyond that white collar."

"Allright, we have our first seller of an exotic magic item coming this weekend, so read your files. If you don't think you can handle your cover, let me know tonight because all of you are working the club starting tonight and if you can't cut it I need to replace you fast so you only have until closing tonight to tell me or you better just fucking suck it up and make it work." He growled.

"Who's the last member of the team?" Lucy asked, curious as to what Fairy Tail member they were still expecting.

"Gray, he's been meeting one of the employers collecting some intel for us on this weekends deal, he'll be behind us on a later train because his got held up by track issues." Laxus replied "He's going to be working as a dancer and bartender."

Lucy felt some relief flow over her, that meant she had Cana, Levy, Gajeel and Gray there as support, she trusted Laxus and the Raijinshuu, to a point she even trusted Cobra, but this was the first big undercover job she'd even been on and she was nervous, not wanting to do anything to let the others down or jeopardize the mission.

The train lurched and everyone settled in for the two hour ride to Hargeon, the Dragon slayers all instantly looking uncomfortable except for Cobra, who always had, even since the Nirvana fight, never seemed as effected as any of the others.

He sat back, popped a piece of candy in his mouth and seemed at ease. "Do you ever stop eating candy?" She asked, she'd noticed he always seemed to have some form of candy on his person and had even watched him suck on a lollipop the day before, something that had left her rubbing her thighs together and feeling like it was too hot in the guild hall.

He smirked "Not if I can help it, problem Tink? You seemed to like it yesterday." He said and she cursed inwardly at his insane observation skills and unavoidable magical ability to hear what was going on in people, particularly her.

"Just wondering how you maintain such a skinny ass eating candy like you do." She snapped. He grinned and Lucy almost groaned, his grin did horrible things to her panties.

He stood and walked past her to the wet bar at the head of the car but when he came to her on his way there he leaned down "Dragon Slayer metabolism Tinkerbell, and I know for a fact how much you like my ass." His lips brushed her ear but he didn't linger, going to the bar and pouring himself something out of a dark bottle that released an amber liquid into a glass.

Holy shit, the shiver of delight that her body gave her when his hot lips brushed her ear had all manner of lewd ideas popping into her head that she tried to stomp down fast but judging from the smirk the Poison Dragon Slayer gave her as he leaned on the bar and took a sip of his drink, none of them escaped him.

Cana came to the bar though and Lucy saw Cobra jerk upright and snarl at the brunette who grinned at him.

"You're one of my "private ponies" sexy, better get used to my hands hitting that tight ass now and then, I plan to enjoy this role." She said with a snicker, pouring herself a generous amount from the bottle he'd just taken his drink from.

He smiled at her venomously, his fangs showing and his eye menacing "and I'll be mixing your drinks sweetheart, wouldn't take much to make you really feel the hangovers you seem so good at handling, Poison Dragon Slayer, keep that in mind." He purred back at her nastily.

She picked up her glass and walked past him, this time grabbing his ass and squeezing it with her nails, drawing a hiss out of him as he jerked away from her touch.

She leered at him defiantly and went back to sit next to Lucy. "You may not be in a position to torture him, but I am Lu, and I've got your back." Cana said quietly, not doubting for a moment Cobra could hear her.

The Poison slayer gave both women a dark look but reached down, pulled out a bottle of beer and tossed it to Bickslow, who caught it, raised it to him in thanks and knocked the cap off on the edge of his seat before taking a long drink.

The group settled, most reading through their files, Gajeel and Laxus concentrating on handling their rebellious stomachs and the ride to Hargeon passed relatively quickly.

Cars arrived for them, a large luxurious one for Cana, Laxus, Gajeel, Levy and Freed riding with her while the others took separate cabs that each took various routes to the club, some more direct than others, assuring none of them arrived too close together.

Once they arrived they all went up to the fourth floor and Freed was waiting to hand them keys to the apartments that would be their homes for the foreseeable future. "Each of you has four club uniforms already waiting for you in your apartment, change and come to the third floor as soon as you can.  
The club offices were also on the third floor and that was where they gathered again. Lucy with Cancer summoned. Changes were mostly minor, Gajeel and Laxus not changing anything, both looking near God-like in their tight club clothes.

Bickslow had to loose the mowhawk since it wasn't what women would soak their panties for, though seeing him in the tight black pants and vest, gold collar glittering at his neck, had Cana chewing her lip and making some typical lewd comments.

"Shit Bixy, you hide that body under armor? That's a fucking sin!" The woman declared.

Laxus snorted, glancing at Gajeel "See? Perfect for her role." He commented and Gajeel smirked, nodding his head.

"Oh I won't hide it from you…Taffy." Bix grinned, not entirely thrilled with having his hair changed, he fucking hated people messing with his hair, he'd been going to the same stylist for the last 6 years. He could deal with it though.

The trendy magazine model style Lucy had picked out suited him, and he leered playfully at Cana, cackling when the woman tried to grab him as he passed her.

Canas hair was lightened a bit into a rich chestnut brown. Cobras was lengthened so it reached his shoulders, his usual spiky look was too easy to recognize and the man had been on wanted posters all over Fiore.

Lucy changed her hair to a platinum blonde with pink ends and had Cancer lengthen it to midway down her back.

Once everyones looks were adjusted they headed out to take their places in the club, which would be opening soon.

Lucy and Bickslow were put right to work by a demanding choreographer, they wouldn't be dancing yet, but the clubs choreographer had just met the owner, who he'd worked for for three years and never seen face to face until today, and Miss Taffy had been adamant Layla and Chase were some of her best she was bringing from another club she owned up north and she wanted them up to speed since they were taking over the dance crews.

Lucy leaned on a chair, catching her breath an hour later, watching Cobra come down the third floor stairs and head for the staircase to the first floor. He looked positively edible in the tight club clothes, and she had to admit, there was nothing skinny about his ass.

It was usually hidden by the white coat he always wore but right now she got to see every muscled inch of his chiseled body as he headed for the main bar.

It was a good thing the dancers were already rehearsing for tonight and the music was already pounding because she doubted he could hear the wicked things she was thinking.

She couldn't help it really, she was a healthy young woman, hadn't been laid in months now since she'd broken up with her last disaster aka boyfriend. Watching men with gorgeous bodies walking around in the tight club uniforms had her blood pumping, and she just couldn't help wanting Cobra.

Wicked as the man was, with a tongue as toxic as his magic, she imagined he was just a beast in bed and would love nothing more than to test that theory.

She froze when he halted at the top of the stairs instead of descending them and looked at her with a knowing smirk.

Shit! Really? With 30 some dancers and a couple dozen other staff running around he picked out HER lewd thoughts?!

He laughed before heading down the stairs and Lucy turned, heading determinedly to watch one of the male dancers warming up. Maybe watching the seriously hot white haired man with a body that could, sort of, compete with Cobras would flood him with lewd thoughts she was having about other men enough he'd stop listening in!

Xoxoxoxoxoxoxxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxxoxo

Levy turned from watching Lucy finish up her practice, smiling at Evergreen who was going over the nights VIP lists with the two other Hosts.

Patrons were flooding in, the doors had just opened and the DJ already had the place charged to the point some people went straight to one of the three dance floors as soon as they came in. Levy spotted Gajeel standing near Cobra at the bar and trotted down the stairs to catch him, he was needed on the third floor according to Laxus, who had sent Levy down to find him.

As she was weaving through happy club patrons a tall woman with long red hair cut her off, stepping right up to Gajeel.

"So what do I need to do to get some time with you?" The woman asked brazenly.

The Gajeel Levy knew would have given the woman a disgusted look and possibly knocked her down walking away from her, but, Levy had to remind herself, he was now known simply as "Dark" and was one of the club owners personal guards and…toys.

He was supposed to entice women to want to earn invitations to the third floor via getting them to the second where they could, for enough money, choose a dancer to get a private dance from, and if they paid well, proved themselves to be worthy to the dancers, they could get that invite to the third floor where they could even go to the owner and ask for him.

Once they understood how much that would cost, and established they could make it worth the owners generosity with her favorite toys that was.

"Oh I'm third floor only sweetheart." Gajeel replied in a voice that made Levy bite her lip. Oh God, it was bad enough he was standing there in skin tight clothes looking like sex on legs. Add in him actually using his rather hefty amount of sex appeal and she was grateful he couldn't see her right then, had a moment to compose herself.

The woman reached out to touch him and he caught her wrist, gently pushing her hand back toward her "No touching, you gotta get invited to the third floor to even have a chance at touching me." He told her, his sexy half smile making Levy run through a brief process of steeling herself, she didn't want this flirtation continuing, for one thing, Gajeel was needed upstairs already, for another, and she bit down the jealousy angrily, even she hadn't gotten a chance to touch him, she'd be damned if some club floosy got to before she did.

She stepped up then, face detached and emotionless, all business, cold hard math.

"Dark, the boss wants you on the third floor." She said firmly, not bothering to give the woman who was glaring at her so much as a glance.

He smirked "Of course she does, thanks Lainy." He moved then, breezing past her and she fell in behind him, holding her notebook to her chest and ignoring the woman who was staring daggers into her back as the bouncers at the base of the second floor access stairs held their hands up and kept her from following them.

Gajeel let Levy catch up and once she was alongside him on the stairs he let her climb a couple until they were even, touching her arm and she stopped to look at him, for once at eye level with the big man.

"It's a job, keep reminding yourself." He said quietly, she smiled faintly, clearly she hadn't hidden as well as she'd thought she had. "you're the bosses assistant too, you should have stopped that woman, told her how to get to me, be assertive shrimp, be the job."

Levy narrowed her eyes "You know…you're right." She agreed and slid a hand through his thick hair suddenly, stepping down the stairs and he watched her, standing still as she trailed a hand over his shoulder and down his back. She slapped his ass then, "Now get up there and get to work!" She snapped at him loud enough the woman staring from the base of the stairs could hear. Gajeel smirked, bowing his head "Yes ma'am." He headed up and Levy walked to the stair just above the floor, eye to eye with the woman.

"You want a chance at that?" She asked, adopting her business tone. The woman nodded, her glare turning into a slight and hopeful smile "Well you start on the second floor, have a good time, if our dancers have good things to say about you, you might get invited up, and if you do, and if you can find a way to entice the boss, Dark there is occasionally allowed to…entertain…guests. Dark and the bosses other private guard Light are both worth the effort, " she gave the woman a wicked smile, indicating she knew from experience "and yes his ass is as hard as it looks, you want to see for yourself though you have to go through the process. Interested?" She asked. The woman nodded, an almost hungry look on her face.

"1000 jewel buy in for admittance to the second floor." Levy held her hand out and the woman scrambled for her clutch, pulling out the notes and handing them over. Levy smiled, accepting the money and tapping the bouncer on the shoulder. The man stepped aside and the woman grinned "Thank you!" She said happily "Of course, enjoy yourself." She smiled and once the woman dashed past Levy split the jewel in half, handing 500 to one bouncer, 500 to the other, both men grinned at her.

"Keep up the great work boys." She said before turning and heading up the stairs, she managed to contain the urge to hoot in triumph, straightening her face to business mode again and heading to the third floor. She could do this.


	4. Chapter 4 First Night

A/N This is my new chapter piece, so please forgive me as I weave the plot, don't worry, this will well earn it's M rating on a lot of levels. First and only warning, I am going to write triggers, I am going to drown you in lemonade, and sometimes the characters will slip OOC as things happen to and around them. I also enjoy fluffiness, writing it f-n relaxes me, so no apologies when it comes out. No I do not edit much, I was schooled in writing including Olde English, so sometimes that comes out here and there. Editing=stress and time. I'd rather post the chapter. (Steps off rant) all of that aside, I do not own Fairy Tail, if I did Nalu would not be a thing and Lisanna would have stayed dead (yep, I'm a mean nasty person, my favorite characters are Bixy and Gajeel because I relate to their personalities bwahahaha) so y'all are lucky it belongs to Hiro Mashima and I am but a mean nasty fan who really enjoys writing and I do, in spite of my obnoxiousness, hope you enjoy...DESNA

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Reaching the top floor Levy was smiling faintly until she saw Gajeel standing by the lounge in the center of the massive area dedicated to sunken sitting/lounging areas that could be made private by curtains hanging from round rods that glowed with ever changing lights from the Lacrima optics flowing through them.

She was stricken again by how he looked in the club uniform, it almost looked painted on his tall muscular body. His black hair had been carefully combed through by Lucys spirit, though it was still on the wild side, refusing to hang down smoothly over his back and shoulders in spite of Cancers efforts.

Still, it was glossy under the subdued lights, he just looked too good for Levys brain to really fully take him all in. His usually somewhat ratty work clothes replaced by the tight black uniform that put every chiseled bit of him on display.

Cana sat on the lounge he stood by, Laxus leaning back beside her, arms draped across the back of the lounge the vest open leaving his flesh on display too. Two women stood before her and Cana was talking with them, but that hadn't derailed Levys focus, no, Cana had a hand on Gajeels hip, idly running her hand up and down as he stood, arms crossed over his chest, seeming oblivious to her touching, watching the women, one of his sexy half smiles on his face.

"Lainy! This, ladies is my personal assistant, she enjoys, of course, all the benefits of her position. Lainy, Miss Grier here has a rare magical item she may be willing to sell." Cana called Levy over and Levy put her game face firmly on and walked around the group coming up behind Gajeel to sit next to Cana, effectively forcing Cana to stop running her hand over Gajeels hip and thigh because it put her arm across Levys face.

"Very good, what item are you offering us Miss Grier?" She asked with interest. The shorter woman tore her eyes off of Laxus to look at Levy "I have a lacrima, it was bought for me by my father who wanted me to become a mage but my mother interceded so it was never implanted. I don't know where he got it, I just know he bought it at a pretty high price a few years ago." She said.

"I see, but you don't know what the estimated worth of it might be then? What magic does the lacrima contain?" Levy asked, her light pen moving fluidly over her notebook creating a contract on the fly.

"Shielding magic, purely defensive from what I understand." The woman replied, now looking over Gajeel since he was standing so close to Levy.

Levy nodded, seeming oblivious to the man that was so thoroughly distracting the two women before her. Laxus leaned forward then, whispering something to Cana who smirked "Down boy." She put her hand on his chest and pushed him back against the back of the lounge again.

Leaning over she pulled Levy to her "Laxus says these two are about to loose it between nerves and being horny as hell, make em an offer, see what they do, we don't need this lacrima, it isn't on our list but we'll take it." She whispered.

Levy nodded "Defensive magics are less valuable in general than offensive, lost magics or rare magics which is what Miss Taffy usually collects, however, what collector would pass by a chance to add a decent piece to their collection? 50,000 jewel." Levy said, she'd seen that figure was the base offering for these things in her file.

The woman pressed her lips together "50,000 and my friend and I get Light and Dark for the night." She said firmly.

Levy smiled, reaching forward and hooking her fingers in Gajeels belt, using him to pull herself to her feet then running a hand over Gajeels bicep slowly.

"Light and Dark are the personal guard for Miss Taffy and only ever offered in high end deals, their skills are…exceptional. They are not on the table, however, Miss Taffy has several fine dancers, you are welcome to select from them on the second floor, to join you up here for a few hours, depending on who you select of course, one of Miss Taffys favorites is down there right now, he you would have to share and would only get a couple of hours with, a gymnast too…agile." Levy said, her hand continuing to idly caress Gajeels arm.

The two women had looked disappointed until Levy mentioned the possibility of another favored male.

"It's a deal, we'll go down and have a look, how do we know who the favorite is?" The woman asked.

"He'll be wearing a gold collar like this one." Levy replied, fingering the gold collar around Gajeels neck, "if you see a collar like this on someone in this club, it means they are third floor only and favorites of Miss Taffy, better skilled than the rest and therefore, very very costly to spend time with."

"I understand, should we come back when we've decided?" She asked. Levy smiled, "I'll accompany you to the second floor and await your decision. Whoever you choose will need to be prepared before your encounter location and time can be agreed on." She led the two women away then, stepping past Gajeel without a backwards glance, all business.

"Damn." Gajeel breathed. Watching her lead the women off.

"So I can run my hands all over you and you're cool as they come but Lev touches your arm and you start sweating huh big boy?" Cana snickered.

"Shut it drunk." Gajeel snapped, keeping his voice low, there were patrons up here, not many, but a few, and while they were all…otherwise engaged, it wouldn't do for one of Miss Taffys best trained pets to be seen or heard mouthing off to her and he knew it.

"Lainy is Taffys close assistant, if you need Metalhead, it would be easy to work in you serving her needs." Laxus grinned and Cana cackled, slapping the Lightning Slayers thigh. "Great idea..Light, Lainy could use some Dark company." Cana was all smiles and Gajeel growled low in his throat.

He couldn't even count how many times he'd worked undercover, hell, he'd had to outright fuck a few women to maintain covers, always been fine with it. If he had to do it for this mission he was fine with that too, it was all work, whatever the mission called for.

His sex drive was something he'd always had a sure control over. That was until a certain blue haired script mage came into his life. He'd had to start imagining all sorts of horrid things to keep from getting a hard on while she was idly stroking his arm just then. Flustered the hell out of him.

He'd thought, wrongly it seemed, he'd held it together seamlessly, Laxus seeing the crack wasn't a big deal but Cana catching it meant he'd have to up his game when Levy was close during this job. Damn Shrimp had way too much effect on him.

He was still standing ignoring the quiet teasing coming from behind him when Levy returned with the two women, she led them over to one of the sunken private areas and drew the curtains around them, walking over to where Cana and the two slayers were.

"Ok, so they decided on two of the regular dancers." She said.

"You inform Bix? He'll get it all set up." Laxus asked, Levy nodded, she'd read the file, already had most of it committed to memory on what her duties where, who she was supposed to be and the possible relations she had with other staff…including the heart stopping part that read "Due to Lainys position as Taffys chief assistant Light and Dark can be used to guard her and either one could potentially be set up as a lover for her if close protection for any operations is needed for her."

"I did, and he's setting things up, there're the dancers." She noted, watching two very attractive men top the stairs. She went to the spot she'd put the women in and indicated it, they smiled at her and slid in through the curtain.

The regular staff here would go on like nothing had changed just because the boss was here, this place had been run like this for a long while. It felt…uncomfortable, arranging for people to have sex for money, but it wasn't illegal in Hargeon and this club was famous for being the best and for catering to the very wealthy and affluent.

The cover was 10K

When she returned to Cana and the slayers Laxus looked at her seriously "Take Dark and go see if there are any more possibles out there. Cobra hit the button on the bar so he might have a lead."

Levy nodded and started for the stairs, feeling Gajeel at her heels. Once they were on the second floor she led him across the large seating area with the runways set up so dancers could move out by the crowds. Women gravitating to the area she was crossing because the male dancers performed on the side by the stairs, men in the area on the opposite side by the other set of stairs.

As she walked she saw women looking up, hungry eyes on Gajeel, the uniform identified him as available, as part of the staff, only the gleaming gold collar around his neck set him apart, like the white one around Levys neck did for her.

Patrons were told the meanings of the different collars before they were allowed off the first floor. So she saw several women look unhappily at the one on Gajeel, and as they were crossing the area where the men were, she kept her expression blank, but was pleased to see some hopeful men look disappointed when they found hers.

She was also pleased to hear a faint growl from the dragon slayer behind her when one man tried to reach for her, too drunk to notice or care about her collar.

The Slayer stepped in the way though, his threatening look enough to make the man cower "Watch the collars, this one isn't available at any price." He growled.

They found Lucy, who was actually smiling chatting with the choreographer she had been wanting to kill earlier in the day.

"Any new requests for the third floor?" Levy asked. Lucy and the choreographer smiled and Lucy pointed to a table where a man in a very expensive suit was sitting with a younger version of himself also in an expensive looking suit.

"That man has some sort of relic he'd like considered and wants to trade it for a night for his son there to lose his virginity with Faith." Lucy indicated the tall redhead that was currently dancing before the two men.

"No money at all huh? Ok, could you go downstairs and check with Cobra? He's buzzed up with a possible and I need to take this guy up to Taffy. Bring the possible up here to the second floor if they're iffy, third if it's a good lead." Levy told her.

Lucy nodded "You got it, I'll head right down." She headed for the stairs and Levy walked over to the man and his son.

The man looked up at her smiling though his smile faltered when his eyes took in the large ominous man following her.

"Hello sir, I'm Lainy, the chief assistant to the owner of this club, I was informed you might have an object our boss may be interested in and you wanted a possible trade of your object for services here?" She was so proud of her level, emotionless tone.

"Yes, I've got a relic, it was actually traded to me for some services and I can't use it, some sort of magic enhancing item. I've had it appraised at nearly 150,000 jewel so I'm sure your boss would be interested in the trade I have in mind." He said confidently.

She nodded to him, "Of course, I'll be happy to take you up to speak with her. Please follow me." She replied, ignoring the sons eyes sweeping over her arrogantly. She wasn't on the menu so he could look all he wanted, she was confident Gajeel wouldn't let him touch her.

The Iron slayer watched the kid leer at Levy and reined in the urge to slam his head into the table top before the brat stood to follow his father and Levy.

He took his place behind the two men, making sure his presence was plenty obvious and glaring at the brat who ignored him, reaching forward to touch Levys shoulder.

She turned, stopping to give him a cool emotionless look. "What about you little blue…" The brat started to ask but his father grabbed his shoulder "See the white collar son? You can not ask about her." He warned.

The brat grinned "Aw come on dad, everyone is for sale at some price right? We could throw some money into the deal, it's my big step up into manhood right?"

Gajeels hand came down on the kids shoulder, not as nicely as his fathers had. "White collar means not at any price kid, Lainy is executive only, not pleasure so drop it." He growled.

The kid frowned at him "Yeah? Well your collars gold that just means your high dollar. What if I want you to suck my dick?" He asked in a sneer.

Levy bit her lip, wondering if this would be it for Gajeels cover but the Slayer smirked at the kid

"Blowjobs from me run 50 million jewel and you wouldn't be walking for a few days, got that cash in your pocket kiddo? If not, you're wasting our time." The kid blanched.

His father saved him "Forgive him, I let him drink a little much for courage you know? Please, I'd very much like to make an arrangement with Miss Taffy." The man said nervously.

"Then get moving and quit making Miss Lainy wait for you." Gajeel snarled. They headed up the stairs then and found Cana enjoying Laxus' company, She leaned away from the big blonde as they walked up.

"So Lainy, what have we here?" She asked. Levy bowed "Miss Taffy, this gentleman would like to offer a trade, item for services." She said, stepping to the side so the man could step forward.

Laxus stood, towering over the man even more than Gajeel did, accepting the item the man held out.

"It's a magic enhancement bracelet, I received it in trade for some services, I had it checked out for authenticity and it appraised at 150,000 jewel. I would like to trade it, so my son could spend his first night with a woman, with your beautiful dancer Faith." He said.

Cana pulled card out of her shirt and laid it on the bracelet, it lit up blue and she shrugged. They had instructions to accept relics and any magically powerful item especially if it was in trade for services.

"Deal. Lainy would you have Layla see to the set up?" Taffy asked. "Miss Layla is currently seeing to another matter, I'll handle this Miss Taffy." Freeds voice came from behind Cana and Levy looked up to watch the normally so elegantly dressed man walk by. Because of his discomfort he'd been allowed to change the uniform up slightly.

His hair was an identifying feature on him so it had been changed and was now an almost black purple with his usual little "antennae" cowlicks tamed by Cancer who had spent some time getting them under control. He wore a long sleeved black dress shirt under the vest and knee high black boots and those additions had made him able to work in the uniform.

"Thank you Francis." Taffy called sweetly, Cana found Freeds cover name hilarious.

"Wait here, Francis will be back in just a few minutes, I'll send some one to bring you drinks." Lainy said, guiding the father and son to a sitting area before turning to return to take her place by Cana.

"When Idle you're either working or strengthening your cover by establishing correct relations with over staff. Lainy should be sitting by Taffy and if not busy with work, she would be entertaining herself using Light or Dark, whichever one she will be establishing as her guard/lover so the duration of the operation. She should not use both, only Taffy should be seen enjoying both of her guards as well as any Gold collared staff."

The file had been clear, but Levy occupied herself organizing her notes from the evening, though there weren't many, and let Gajeel sit back beside her.

Lucy went down the stairs looking out over the club as she moved. The place was packed. The 10K cover sure didn't slow down the demand to be part of the clubs scene. She had already seen reporters here, knew from years of reading Sorcerers weekly that this club was often where photos of the hottest wizards in Fiore were captured. Heavens Gate was famous.

She and Cana had talked about coming here with Erza, Mira and Levy more than once, but the huge cover and high priced everything kept them away. A night at Heavens Gate could easily eat up the entire reward from a good paying job.

Looking she saw Cobra watching over the massive bar and wondered how this was all effecting him. She knew he tended to prefer not being around large groups of people because his listening magic could overwhelm him and keeping up barriers was tiring.

His eye fell on her quickly though, seeming to have no problem picking her out of the crowd she was sifting through. Gods he looked good in the tight black clothes, his caramel colored skin and chiseled body weren't things she usually got to enjoy. Scars marred the smooth flesh, peeking out from beneath the edge of the vest here and there, she knew his back was riddled with them.

Bickslow had off handedly remarked on it once, how Cobra bore the most proof of time spent as a slave.

It had made him the way he was, created his nasty persona that worked well to keep people at bay. As attractive as he was he'd had to become very nasty to keep people at a distance, the fact that his aura wasn't anywhere near as mean as his personality worked against him too, just looking at him you didn't see the cruelty.

He looked like a sexy enigmatic man who had an easy smile, his gaze brimmed with sharp intelligence and he carried himself with confidence. All things that would draw a person, especially a woman, to him.

"Hey Tinkerbell."

Until he opened his fucking mouth that is.

"Lainy said to check with you on a lead?" Lucy said as he came and stood close to her, leaning near so they could speak without yelling.

"What you're not shaking your jiggly bits and getting jewel stuffed in your panties by sweaty hands for a bit?" He smirked at her and she glared at him

"Not everyone is hiding behind a bar like a scared mouse, some of us are out working our jobs, Peter." She snarked back.

"I'm handling my job fine Tink, just taking a break from random women hanging on me so you can for a minute." When Lucy recoiled to give him a proper glare he snickered, she was way too easy.

"Lead is the blonde sitting at the end of the bar, she's all kinds of hot and bothered, wants me pretty bad but I'm betting Bixy or our sparky leader would get her going good. She's got a lacrima, her husband disappeared two years ago and she found it among his belongings, she's got suspicions about it, is lonely, hungry for some male attention and wants to get it off her hands. Take her to Bixy, he'll sort her out." His breath was hot on her ear, and he let his lips graze it a couple of times before he straightened.

He turned and beckoned the blonde who was plenty happy to walk right to him and Lucy saw him stiffen as the woman slid her hand up his bare arm, curling her fingers around his bicep.

He crossed his arms over his chest, shedding her hand in doing so "This is Layla, she'll take you upstairs, what you're after, you can only arrange up there." He told her, then nodded to Lucy and turned back to escape behind the bar again.

The blonde looked after him hungrily, eyes locked on his ass. Lucy touched her arm and she sighed "Gold collars are special arrangement, only right?" The woman asked and Lucy nodded, smiling brightly at her.

"Yes that's right, silver and black collars you can arrange directly with the person but Gold collar staff are particularly skilled and command extremely high prices or special arrangements, please come with me, I'll introduce you to Chase, if you're interested in companionship tonight, he'll be the one that can help you get things set up." She led the woman past the bouncers and up the stairs to where Bickslow stood at the service podium where guests could check into his section before they were allowed to pass the floor to ceiling heavy black curtains that kept the areas flashing lights from intruding on the ambiance of the club below.

Cancer had done a great job on Bix, he looked like he'd just stepped out of a magazine, tall, sexy, exotic, ridiculously toned body easy to enjoy in the tight clothes and gold collar glittering in the moving light. Lucy suppressed a smirk when she heard the woman beside her take in a sharp look and take a couple of slower steps when she saw him.

Cobra had been right.

"Chase, this patron would like to set up some special attention tonight, she's been particularly interested in our Gold collars and may have an item to sell or trade." Lucy said. Bix smiled, and when the Seith turned on the charm Lucy could see why he rivaled Laxus as one of Fairy Tails most prolific playboys.

He had the woman hanging on him before Lucy could even walk away, satisfied the woman wasn't likely to continue after Cobra and not really sure why she cared.

By the end of the first night, they all staggered into the meeting room on the fourth floor exhausted.

"Ok, so 2 lacrimas came in, one insignificant, the other we aren't sure about yet, Bixy is still getting information from the woman who brought it in and settling her in." Laxus said. The item she'd brought in was high power, much higher than the shielding lacrima, so she'd gotten jewel and had taken a full night in one of the clubs luxury suites with "Chase" as her payment for it.

"I bet he is." Cobra said with a smirk. Laxus gave him a mildly reproachful look but his own faint smile ruined it, everyone knew full well Bickslow was in his element and likely wouldn't only implant memories for the women he was going to end up dealing with, he likely would choose to create a few by hand, there were good reasons he'd been chosen for his role beyond just his magic made it so they could all remain untouched for the most part while doing this job if they decided to.

"Gray, you start tomarrow with Bix on the second floor." He tossed the Ice mage a gold collar. "You read your file?" He asked. Gray nodded "Yeah, went over it a few times, I'm ready."

They went over the events of the night and Laxus pointed out some things he'd seen people could work on to enhance their covers before dismissing them.

"Lucy, Gray, your rehearsals start at 11am so get your asses to bed, the rest of you, meeting at 3pm." With that he turned to Cana and caught Levy, Freed and Gajeel with a look.

"The five of us are the face of this operation. Levy you're supposed to be using one of us, me or Gajeel as your guard, if you're comfortable with Gajeel then lets have you stick with how things worked tonight, just step up interaction a bit. He's supposed to be a possession, just like me, both you and Cana need to work your roles and treat every gold collar like you own us, because for your cover and ours, you do and all of us need you two to set the stage so we can play our parts. Freed, I need you moving around the club, interact with Lucy, Bix and Cobra. You can't hide in the office like you did last night. If you can't do this tell me now and I'll send you home." His voice was hard and Freed blushed, heaving a sigh.

"I can do this Laxus, I'll play my part I promise, I won't let you down." His voice was firm, full of conviction, so Laxus nodded "Ok, one more night, but if I see you stumbling on this I'm sending you home and putting Gray in your role."

That was it, he stood and they all headed for their apartments.

Levy went straight into the shower, half wishing they were sharing space, she would prefer to room with Lucy, her nerves were on edge and it had only been one night.

The stakes were high, the Rune Knights and Council both had some presence in the city and no doubt sent agents through this club so they had to hold their covers, they had to play this right.

They were digging into things the Council itself didn't want them messing with, if they were found out, they wouldn't be put in prison, kill squads would be sent to make them disappear and Fairy Tail could well be disbanded.

The files had been clear on that, and she saw the file had already dissolved, no trace of it remained where she had left it on the small dresser. Laxus had told them the paper was enchanted to evaporate within 6 hours of him removing them from the case he'd pulled them from on the train.

She had fought to be part of this, still had two more lists to translate too, but she was tired, anxious and a little afraid.

Gajeel suddenly came to mind, he'd been so calm, so collected all night, hadn't set a foot wrong and had even helped her hold herself together and play her role. He had a lot of experience with undercover work, worlds more than probably anyone else in the guild with the possible exception of Cobra, who had also been part of the darker worlds for a long time like Gajeel had.

Impulse over rode sense and she found herself padding down the hallway in her pajamas and robe and tapping on Gajeels door. Her excitement, all of the thoughts she'd had, all of the stress it rose up in her until she was almost bouncing on the balls of her feet by the time he opened the door. He stood there in a towel, his long black hair hanging damp over his shoulders, clinging to damp tanned skin in places and Levy froze, mind going blank at the sight of him.

"Shrimp? What the hell are you…mmph!" She threw herself at him, her arms going around his neck and her momentum pushing him back a couple of steps though his grip on the door kept him from falling.

Levys lips crashed into his and in the next couple of moments she realized what she had just done and panic welled up in her hugely. They had kissed twice, their second date a few weeks ago, once as they were leaving the restaurant, once toward the end of the movie.

So it wasn't like there wasn't a precedence for this, but both had been light, almost shy sweet kisses, not the hard crushing of lips Levy had just achieved in her overwhelmed anxiety.

He didn't push her away in those moments but he didn't react either except for his muffled sound of surprise when she'd jumped him. Her little piece of hope that he would accept this, somehow, someway, accept her and help her release some of the tension, anxiety, drowning stress she was feeling was waning until his other arm came up.

The hand not holding the door suddenly was on her back, his powerful arm supporting her, pressing her into him tighter so she wasn't dangling from her arms around his neck anymore and his lips softened under hers, he kissed her back.

Oh Gods, did he ever kiss her back. Those sweet little pecks on their date hadn't prepared her for what Gajeel was capable of either. His other arm releasing the door came up and his hand slid into her hair at the back of her head and he tilted his head slightly, slanting his lips over hers, his tongue, God that was his tongue, sliding over her lower lips right before he sucked it between his, one of his sharp canines teasing it until she gasped and then he just claimed her.

His lips immediately sealed over hers when she gasped and he took the opening to plunge that hot tongue into her mouth, conquering every part he came in contact with, engaging hers with firm intrusion that left her moaning into his mouth.

Levys mind shorted out, her hands fisting in his damp black hair, a part of her thrilling at the feel of the ample expanse of naked damp skin she was pressing herself against.

It occurred to her the only thing separating her from having Gajeel fully naked in her arms was the towel wrapped around his waist and that had her heart racing double time.

He pulled back, both gasping for air "Fuck…Shrimp.." He chuckled hoarsely, "You have a bad dream or something? What the hell are you doing up?" His voice was deep, gravelly, and it made her tingle feeling it resonate against her, her legs had wrapped around his waist, her arms were still tight around his neck, hands in his hair, but he'd pushed his face into her neck, and now spoke by her ear.

"Gajeel…I…" She wasn't sure what to say, how to voice what she was after because she wasn't really sure herself, but she knew she wanted more of what they'd just done.

He pulled back then, his grip firm on her, holding her away from him but his eyes were soft in the dim light coming from the little lamp by his bed a few feet away.

He clearly wasn't angry, and the faint smile wasn't a hard rejection, so she started to lean up again, wanting his lips on hers so bad she ached for it, for the freedom from her mind, the complete all-encompassing pleasure she'd drowned in for those minutes.

"No…" He stopped her though, putting her on her feet, one hand leaving her back so he could grasp the towel around his waist that had been loosened by her legs.

Her eyes widened, hurt flooding the hazel depths and Gajeel leaned down, kissing her, soft, chaste, sweet, an assurance, not an invitation though.

"You…don't want me?" She whispered when he pulled back again and he chuckled a little bitterly

"That sure as hell isn't the issue here Shrimp." He said, then stood to his full height so he was out of easy reach, she'd caught him completely off guard and his mind was still reeling.

"Issue is, I've been on these kinds of missions before, drowning hour by hour, day by day in stress, tension, what we're dealing with here, I know it real well." He rubbed the back of his head and Levy licked her lips at the sight of all the muscle that was put into motion under his tan skin when he did it.

"What you're wanting…see, you and I, I don't know exactly what we've been working on at home but I value it, I want it to continue…I don't want it turning into the tension releasing thing it would be here." He told her, and when she was blinking up at him in disappointment he wavered but held on to his resolve.

No, he'd been down this path before, granted, never with a woman he really felt much for, those times really had just been about releasing tension so they could get their jobs done, pure simple fucking each other to get stress out. But even then things had ended badly when the mission ended, no way was he risking that with Levy, a woman he actually gave a damn about.

"So get back to bed, you need your sleep Shrimp." He walked her to the door, leaning down when he saw that disappointment there, kissing her once more hoping it showed her he DID want her, this wasn't rejection, if anything, he was trying to hold on to her, keep what they had special, whatever the hell it was because he really didn't know. He just knew he was going to protect it.

Levy drank that last kiss in, whining softly when he withdrew, she just ached for him, would have joyfully been all over him then, could imagine herself yanking that towel out of her way, the two of them falling onto that bed in a tangle of limbs, kissing and touching, pressing their bodies together.

She wanted that, wanted to lose herself in him, but she understood what he'd said, even if she hated it at that moment, he was right. If they fell into bed together and fucked each other senseless (God that sounded so good) to release tension, ease their stress, it would cheapen the fragile thing they'd started to build at home.

Besides that, she…really had never done anything like that, had never had sex. Made out with Jet a couple of times before realizing what a bad idea that was, but other than that, her "experience" was purely intellectual, garnered from books.

She'd definitely never had her hands on a man like Gajeel, tall, dark…holy hell he looked good in nothing but a little white towel…

"Ok…I…I'm sorry…" She said softly, cheeks turning pink and he grabbed her chin, making her look up at him

"No…don't be sorry, it means something that when you were feeling stressed out, worked up…you came looking for me, and if you promise to keep your hands and that sexy little mouth away from me…we can talk about it if you want."

He was leaning against the door frame now, an arm propped against it, his other hand at his waist holding that damn towel she'd give almost anything to see fall.

"I…no… I'm tired…I'll just go to bed, I might bother you tomarrow night though, another night like this…I might need that talk." She giggled and Gajeel let the breath he'd been half holding go, tension flowing out of him, they were ok, this hadn't damaged anything, thank God.

"Fine by me, night Shrimp." He called, watching her head back down the hall. She waved and he closed his door, leaning on it and cursing himself about a hundred times.

Woman comes jumping his damn bones, one he wants, and he sends her back to her own room alone, what the ever loving Fuck happened to Black Steel?


	5. Chapter 5 The First drop

The next few days saw the wizards of Fairy Tail learning their roles, getting better at their covers. Laxus reported the group that actually owned the club was a pleased with how they were doing, financially, they were pulling down some numbers.

Word got out fast that the clubs owner had arrived with some of her best "dancers" and staff in tow and the Gold collars started getting a lot more attention though until their meeting with the woman on Saturday had come, nobody had been able to cough up the funds or magic item that could earn them time with one aside from the woman the first night, who's lacrima had finally been identified.

"It's a fucking Magic cancel, whoever got this shit implanted could cancel magic, kill spells, make other mages around them powerless." Cana told them one night at their meeting. It was on their list, one of the lacrimas that wasn't supposed to exist. One that had been created by the council, that swore they didn't create things like that.

It went into a special case, and Lucy had Virgo store it until it could be delivered to their contact, who would come on Sunday after they had met with the woman.

The upcoming meeting was important on a lot of levels. Laxus explained it all to them as it had been explained to him.

This woman had worked for the Magic Council, in ERA at the Magic Research and Development facility there. The facility was supposed to be run like a school, to help children and adults that had difficult to manage magical abilities and to research new ways to help magic born injuries, diseases and afflictions.

That was how the Council portrayed it.

However, the underground political watchdog group they were now working with had found ever building evidence to the contrary.

Laxus and the Rainjinshuu had been taking down a dark guild near Dawn City when they had stumbled on one of the lacrima that wasn't supposed to exist.

A Dragon Magic Lacrima. One from a replicant dragon like the one they had fought at the Eclipse Gate, that could produce smaller dragons by the hundreds. Replicant Dragon magic was dead. The dragon fought at the Eclipse Gate had been sent back to its own time with the closing of the gate, all of its spawn said to have vanished with it.

Yet Laxus had held the lacrima in his hand, felt the same magic he'd felt that night, scented the same scent from that fucking Lacrima.

Driven to find out where the hell it had come from he'd contacted Bickslows adoptive father, nobody in Earthland had more connections than Ambassador Arman Pradesh. Bickslows father had put Laxus in touch with the underground political watchdog group that called itself "Hidden Hope".

The person from Hidden Hope had informed Laxus of the evidence found that indicated corruption in the magical R&D department in ERA was serious. That the Council was playing with dead, lost and illegal magics, including Draconian Lacrima like the one Laxus had found.

The Raijinshuu had been hired then to take on the job of searching for more of the Lacrima, gathering more information about what was going on in ERA and within the Council with the R&D department.

When the council had been wiped out by Tartaros, the restructuring had been sloppy in some places, R&D was one such place, and Hidden Hope believed that was why they had been able to learn about these things, and they hoped rifts had formed in the security of the department that would allow them to learn all they needed, gather enough evidence, to force a purging and flush out the dark people who were using the R&D department to do horrific things and get into magics that should have remained lost, dead or untouched.

So the Raijinshuu had gotten in deep quickly and Laxus wasn't foolish, he knew they couldn't manage the entire thing and then team Natsu had uncovered and illegal lacrima implant facility. While Lucy had been finding the woman Emma in it, Gajeel, knowing information might be there that could be important. Had taken time to find some files while team Natsu had been wrapped up in the fights and such.

The single box of files he'd recovered and dumped into his pack before helping Lucy escape with Emma, were the most information Hidden Hope had ever gotten access to.

Much of it was written in a dead language, and Levy had been translating that slowly, working on the lists first.

Gajeel had seen that writing, had known Levy could probably work with it, knew if the bastards running the place were trying so hard to hide things they were keeping records in a dead language it probably was important.

Laxus had immediately pulled Gajeel in upon seeing one of the lists he'd shown to Freed because Levy was away on a job when he'd come back. Lucy had been next when he'd started talking to their contacts in Hidden Hope and the idea for this operation using Heavens Gate had started firming up.

Finally Levy, when she'd started reading off what that first list said and got past the second thing on the list that Freed hadn't figured out yet.

Now Bickslow was working on a woman they believed had escaped from ERA. Hidden Hope had been instrumental in getting her to the underground medical team that had removed her kill implant so the Council couldn't just press a button and leave her dead and working as a beacon to draw the council kill squad to her body to eliminate anyone they found around her and work on recovering what she had taken.

He met the woman in a private room where lap dances and less involved "private" pleasures were supplied to patrons by the dancers.

He knew exactly what he needed to do and had a plan on how he was going to do it.

The woman wanted, according to Cobra, to forget, to escape her own head, she was riddled with horrific memories she didn't want and hadn't had much social interaction on any level since she was 17.

She wanted to cut loose, have a wild night, and that was why she was there, testing the waters to see if Heavens Gate could provide her with what she needed, both the wild and the important things, like getting a new identity and a new life, Hidden Hope had set that all up and now they would lead her to it.

After Bickslow pulled all of the information they needed.

Her eyes widened when he stepped into the little room. "I thought Gold collars…were only by special arrangement." She said nervously. Bix smiled.

"We are, but you're making a special arrangement, you already picked me for Saturday, Miss Taffy says I should send you home with…" He leaned over her, smiling, his fingers sliding up her arm and making her shudder. "a taste of what's to come."

He kissed her and she grabbed him, kissing him back hungrily and he slid his hands over her, nothing on her, she was smart, she didn't have it on her.

He was supposed to knock her out, but took his time, letting some memories he was giving her be real, besides, it gave him a good feel for what she liked, where she wanted to be touched and how. Nothing better than a healthy little make out session to set things up as far as he was concerned.

He went pretty far, got her plenty worked up before he finally took her down, pushed her under and stood back for a few moments to catch his breath, draw in his magic.

The room was shielded, nobody outside of it could hear or sense the magic happening within. He settled her comfortably on the cushioned bench and leaned over her, delving deep into the recesses of her souls memories.

It was a lot of information, and when he finished and sat back he settled for a moment on the seat just shaking his head looking at her and whistling low.

"Holy fuck woman, no wonder you want a night of having your brains fucked out." Heaving a sigh, he lifted her, tossing his vest aside before pulling her on top of him as he lay back on the bench, once he had her situated comfortably he cupped her face in his hands and kissed her, letting his hold on her go.

She came around slowly, languidly, moaning softly against his kiss and then she was aware again, he felt her heart rate jump, her body tense and she went from laying still to one hand trying to get into his pants and the other working along his abs.

Just what he'd wanted her to do.

"Easy…just a taste love…just a taste, come back Saturday and you'll have me all night, we'll do everything you ever wanted to." He promised softly between kisses, pulling her hand away from where it was trying to get into his clothes.

He sat them up, brushing her hair back, she was pretty, looked exhausted and had been through hell, but they would fix that, and the information he'd just gotten was going to help…a lot.

"Saturday." She breathed as he nibbled at her neck. "That's right, we've been in here longer than we were supposed to be, your friends might be getting anxious." He said.

She'd come with two large hired thugs, the woman was paranoid and had every reason to be.

He helped her set her clothing right, letting her get all of the parting touches she reached for before letting her out of the room, shrugging on his vest and pulling it tight around him so he could get it fastened before following her.

The guards were glaring at him but he ignored them, as far as they knew he was just a dancer and sex toy for hire so he walked her over to them and played his part, teasing her and making her giggled a couple of times with decidedly lewd suggestions about what they should do Saturday.

Once she left he turned and headed up the stairs to go sit with Freed and get all of the info out of his own head and into Freeds so records could be drafted so the information could be relayed.

It was a certainty now. The Council was creating magic power lacrimas, and did have a secret facility, Bickslow now knew the layout of the place and how the woman he'd just left had escaped it.

Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxxoxoxox

The Saturday exchange went off without a hitch, as expected "Penny" had chosen Bix and unexpectedly asked for Gajeel for her night and everything went smoothly.

It was the first time Bickslow did a full memory implant of the type and everyone was anxious to see how the woman did when she woke Sunday morning but Bickslow had set it up perfectly, the man knew his magic.

She woke like she had in the private room downstairs just this time naked in the VIP suite slick with sweat, heart racing body utterly exhausted and more than a little sore.

Dark had been as rough as she'd been warned and she wasn't sure how she'd found the energy for this last little morning roll with Chase but she'd managed and was truly happy.

The whole night had been incredible, and as she was kissing Chase, her hands enjoying a last exploration of his delicious body she felt better than she had in weeks.

Sure she was so exhausted she wasn't sure she'd be walking out of here, and yes she was sore in places she'd never been sore like this before but it was so worth it.

Dark appeared, sliding a tray onto the bed beside where she was laying on top of Chase.

He was already dressed, back in his black uniform though the vest wasn't buttoned. She smiled, reaching out to touch his hard chest and smiling into his crimson eyes, it was funny she'd chosen two men with red eyes, Chases had green in them though, Darks were pure red.

The raven haired man smirked at her "I have to return to Miss Taffy, unlike Chase I have to work today, Penny…it was a pleasure…" He leaned in when she reached for him and she was kissing him, trying to pull him onto the bed but the tray holding her breakfast was in the way and he smiled against her lips, kissing her back before pulling away from her.

"Only one night…Chase will see to you getting dressed after you've eaten."

Someone cleared their throat and all three of the people at or on the bed looked toward the door.

Lainy, Miss Taffys assistant was standing there with her standard calm detached expression.

"Dark, Miss Taffy has already asked about you, Chase, you should already be dressed, the arrangement was for the night and it is now 9am, you have rehearsals at 11." Lainy said sternly. Chase smiled up at her, pulling her mouth to his one last time before sliding out from under her and walking from the bed.

Lainy didn't seem the least bit interested in the handsome naked man walking right past her, even when he patted her head as he passed "I'll just see Miss Penny out after she finishes her breakfast." He chuckled.

She glared at him and Dark actually growled "Move it Chase, don't touch Miss Lainy." He snapped.

Chase laughed "Damn Dark, woman hardly uses you half as much as Miss Taffy does and you're still possessive!" He teased and Penny watched Dark roll his eyes and see Miss Lainy out, following close behind her.

Penny frowned slightly, downing some coffee and scooping a hunk of omelet into her mouth, humming in approval at how good it tasted.

So Dark was also Lainys to use. She hoped she could work her way up the chain in time and get to enjoy perks like that. Holy Gods memories of the two mens skills through the night, the immense pleasure she'd been given, how both had done any and everything she had asked, fulfilling several deep secret fantasies of hers had her heart racing a little again. She'd probably be daydreaming about last night for the rest of her life. Now that she had one to look forward to.

Somehow, the horrific memories of the last few years seemed more distant, hazier in the face of the new ones, it was odd but she was grateful for it and hoped it lasted.

If she worked hard, maybe she would even get to take Chase or Dark to her bed again…probably too much to hope for, but she could dream.

Once Penny left, seen out to the carriage her guards had come to pick her up in by Bickslow. Lucy smiled, watching the carriage pull away from the fourth floor balcony.

"You about ready Tinkerbell?" Cobras voice at her arm made her start and turn too fast, her boot heel caught the flagstone groove and she fell but he grabbed her arm, not letting her hit the hard flagstone.

"Clutz." He snickered.

"Ass" She retorted and he let go, letting her fall the rest of the way to land hard on her butt with a startled squeak.

"Ow, geeze, chivalry is dead." She glared at him, he didn't move to help her stand back up either, standing back and smirking at her while she did.

"Killed by societies advancement from the middle ages, you're a strong independent woman, I wouldn't dream of insulting you by helping you much." He said maintaining his cocky smile.

"More like let go by lazy assholes that don't have good values." Lucy said.

Cobra snorted "Yeah, lets not get into a debate about misogyny and the hypocritical feminist bullshit right now, I just ate, I'd like to keep my breakfast."

Lucy rolled her eyes, "Gods, how did I end up stuck with you anyway?" She asked as she walked past him.

Cobra fell in behind her, perfectly happy to watch her from behind, it wasn't a bad view.

"Just lucky Tinkerbell, none of us are allowed to go out of the club alone, you've got to meet the contact, I'm your escort. We have until tonight at 5 off, where you go, I go, it's that simple." He replied, smiling slightly as her skirt flowed against the luscious swell of her ass.

"Don't stare at my ass Cobra." She snapped

"Jax, cover is Jax LAYLA, unless you're calling me honey, sweetheart or just moaning my name." He was smiling again when she stopped at the top of the stairs to give him a nasty look before starting down.

"You wish." She snarled, _and so do I. Shit! Shit shit shit! Can it pervy brain_! She berated herself the moment the dirty thought complete with an image of them having sex on some bed with a pink comforter her moaning "Cobra…Gods…YES!" came loud and clear vivid and lewd to him and Cobra grinned.

"Least all I did was imagine what your bare ass looked like, you're fucking raping me in your head." He snickered.

Lucy spun when they reached the bottom of the stairs to glare at him "I was NOT raping you!..." She blinked, then bit her lip and closed her eyes.

"Oh please finish what you were going to say…please." He begged, Cobra was grinning now, so large both fangs showed.

"Yeah Lu…what the hell?" Cana called from where she was sitting going over the plans for the day with Levy, Laxus and Gajeel. Who were all looking at her grinning.

Lucy blushed "I fucking hate you." She snarled under her breath, turning and hurrying across the third floor to the stairs down. Cobra didn't have trouble keeping pace with her, and she knew better than to actually try to ditch him, as badly as she would have loved to. She reached the first floor and waved briefly to a couple familiar staff members before shoving the front door open and stepping gladly outside into the cool early October air.

There was a cab waiting for them and she drew a breath before climbing into it, glaring as Cobra climbed in behind her and sat across from her, still wearing a thoroughly satisfied smile on his handsome face.

"That…damn it you know what I was trying to say up there." She said angrily.

"Sorry Tinkerbell, sometimes that head of yours takes too many sharp turns even for me to keep up with. I'm pretty sure I know why you had the dirty little thought but what you said in front of everyone? Yeah, the motivation there escapes me, unless you wanted them all thinking you and I were up to something before we came down." He leaned back in his seat, folding her arms behind his head.

He was in his usual clothes, jeans, a long sleeved thermal under a long sleeved button down, black boots and his white fur lined coat, his longer hair, while it wasn't really "Cobra" still looked good on him, made him look sexier, younger.

His devilish smile was just about too much too. Lucy maintained her glare, clinging to her anger for all she was worth because if she didn't she knew she was going to slip into more lewd thoughts, it sort of alarmed her how often her brain strayed that way around Cobra.

He was like an itch she really badly wanted to scratch…all down his back…with him on top of her…pounding into her…making her scream.

"Shit Tink…thoughts like that while glaring daggers at me? Now that is a turn on in my book, damn near foreplay, you might make me blush." He said smoothly, his voice almost a purr and Lucy squeezed her eyes shut.

The fuck was wrong with her head?! God she needed to get laid so bad, it would stop this.  
"Probably." Cobra chuckled and she kicked him, grinning when the toe of her boot made contact with his shin. It was beyond rare to land a hit on the man and his eye flew wide when she did, more surprised than hurt by the action.

How the hell did that happen? Cobra blinked, he hadn't even heard it coming, too wrapped up in Lucys uncontrollable perverted thoughts about him.

She was driving him to distraction but he couldn't complain. Since they'd gotten started at the club it was always her soul he retreated to when he started getting overwhelmed. She was always close enough to find quickly and always seemed to have, if not pleasant thoughts, at least an inner dialogue that always made him smile.

Somehow her soul just called to him, sheltered him, she kept her thoughts organized, and she was sharp, smart as hell and had a nasty sarcastic almost sadistic sense of humor that ran rampant in through her soul. Probably why he was so attracted to it.

Her souls natural music just suited him, resonated with his.

He told himself often it didn't mean anything, and while he could probably get past her reservations about him and get her into his bed, something he thought about now and then, more often over the last week after watching her walking around the club in the skimpy tight little white dress that left her gorgeous cleavage on glorious display, he couldn't bring himself to do it. Not that he didn't want her.

She would come down the stairs to check on leads, or sometimes just to stand and talk to him, which had surprised him at first, but she was a naturally friendly person and time and time again he checked for ulterior motives and there were none beyond the fact she wanted to know him better and honestly, in spite of her better judgement, liked him and was distinctly attracted to him.

He found himself wishing things were a little different, that the guild wouldn't murder him if he made a move on their precious star. He was thinking maybe he cared less and less about the danger and more about how incredible it would be to live out one of her little fantasies about him.

He'd have to be careful though, very careful. His usual approach to these things wouldn't work, being direct would just see the other Dragon Slayers fighting over who got to destroy which part of him first with Erza likely to beat them all.

"Nice shot Tink." He admitted, letting her have her little victory. They pulled up before a little café and the cab waited for them while they went inside. It was a moody place, with very high backed bench seated booths that provided good privacy.

Their contact was a teleportation mage named Frankie. She was a cute thing, with silver/gray hair and laughing blue eyes and they knew her immediately by the description given and the purple orchid she was playing with.

"Hi Frankie, I'm Layla, this is Jax, happy to see you!" Lucy said brightly.

"Happy to see you too! Shit, they weren't kidding, you both look like you work at Heavens Gate allright, damn." She winked at Cobra who didn't react, just sat next to Lucy. If they needed to, they were prepared to utilize their covers all the way into their scripted roles, though Lucy was more than a little worried about that and honestly so was Cobra since it put the two of them as lovers calling for them to start making out if anyone took too much interest in them while they were at their meetings with their contact.

Public Displays of affection were a sure fire way to get people to stop studying you.

"Ok, pass it over, I got a time schedule." Frankie prompted, looking about. With a flick of her wrist Lucy had Virgo sitting next to Frankie and the notebook Freed had put together along with the case containing the purveyed pieces for the week were handed over. Frankie wrapped her arms around both and in a small resonant pull of air, vanished, teleporting to wherever she was supposed to transport the things.

"Yeah Josh, there's a weird little chick in the end booth fucking with a flower, why you askin? You Rune Knights never come around here." Cobra heard the waitress saying by the door and he tensed "Time for our cover Tink, sorry bout this but there's a rune knight coming to this booth."

Lucys eyes flew wide when he said it and she barely had time to dismiss Virgo before Cobras arms were around her and he was pressing her into the back of the booth "arms around me or this is gonna look off." He whispered, lips hovering over hers and Lucys pulse shot through the roof, her heart started hammering in her chest as she realized what he was going to do.

She heard the boot falls coming but then Cobra was kissing her. His kiss was not what she expected. When she imagined Cobra kissing her it was always rough, harsh, but his lips were soft, warm, intensely inviting and moved over hers gently.

He tasted like caramel and cinnamon, smelled deliciously masculine and as her hands slid around him under his coat she was treated to her first real feel of just how firmly muscled his body was. It felt as good as it looked.

Cobra was struggling to think too, he could hear the Rune knight, bitchy about having to investigate a woman the Rune Knights were looking for for reasons this one did not know. They had gotten wind that the woman was in this area and was to be brought in for questioning, a short woman with silver hair and blue eyes.

He was trying to gather all he could, but holy hell Lucy was incredible. The moment he started kissing her her reactions were so strong, her soft little whimper when he angled his head differently, pulling back from the kiss for just a moment.

Her hands sliding over him, he hated when people touched him, usually it made his skin crawl, especially if they touched his back, but not her, no, his body burned everywhere her hands went.

Her soul was singing, pulling his so hard he struggled to hear the Rune Knight at all, wanting to dive fully into the woman in his arms, lose himself in the music, and then the images, Lucy, all sweet and cute blushing Lucy, had one hell of a dirty mind.

In her head she was dragging him down to the bench of the booth, yanking his shirts up so she could drag her tongue up his body and see if his skin tasted as good as it looked.

While doing that she was yanking his belt and jeans open and ripping them down his legs so she could swing a leg over him and fuck him right there in the damn booth, with a waitress gaping and a Rune Knight staring wide eyed at them.

All of this played out in her head as her tongue was pushing at his lower lip and he resisted her request until she made a soft sound, dug her nails into his back and he parted his lips, meeting her hungry tongue with his, wrestling for dominance they both had to have.

The Rune Knight tapping his shoulder drew a nasty snarl from the Dragon Slayer and the man stepped back wide eyed as Cobra turned an angry indigo gaze on him.

Bastard had just torn him away from one of the best fucking kisses he'd ever experienced with a woman he'd been wanting to touch for months.

Now he gets handed the opportunity and instead of just walking away, the man has to fucking interrupt.

"What? We're not breaking any fucking laws, I'm just kissing my girl, what's the problem? Besides the shitty slow service here?" He snapped.

The Rune Knight actually blushed, he hated his job sometimes. The Guy had a gorgeous girl too, who looked as upset as him they'd been interrupted, probably just enjoying a nice morning out getting coffee and he has to go bug them. He felt bad. If he had a girl that cute he'd be doing the same damn thing with her.

"I apologize sir, did you happen to see a short woman with silver hair when you came in? She was sitting in this booth." He said. Cobra frowned and Lucy sat up a bit, her hand suddenly twirling a lock of his hair between her fingers as she smiled at the Rune Knight.

"There wasn't anyone sitting here or we sure wouldn't be, we were kind of after some privacy and a cup of coffee ya know?" She giggled and the Rune Knight blushed again, apologizing, the waitress was frowning but she apologized too. "Gods I'm so sorry, I didn't see the woman leave when you two came in but I was making some fresh cinnamon coffee, would you two like some? On the house!" She offered.

Lucy grinned "That would be great thank you! And lots of Sugar, my boyfriend is sweet but never sweet enough." She giggled and the woman smiled "Oh you two are adorable."

A moment later the woman delivered two tall to-go cups of fresh coffee and led the Knight to a stool at the bar where she served him some.

"Not sweet enough huh?" Cobra smiled at Lucy who smirked "You aren't even in the same neighborhood as sweet, I just know how much sugar you like in your coffee."

Cobra hadn't pulled back, Lucy was still caged between his arms, one of hers still around his back, the other still in his hair. Drawing a breath and getting hit with Lucys sweet scent, like strawberry candy, he was suddenly nuzzling against her neck.

"Thought I tasted like caramel and cinnamon?" He breathed by her ear and she shuddered, God he did, and he felt so good and his hair was like silk in her fingers and those lips…she wanted to kiss him again so bad. He withdrew, surprising her, moving to stand and then turning to offer her his hand.

She stared at him in disbelief. "You mentioned wanting to get some breakfast and run some errands, so let's get going Tink."

She took his hand, still confused about how that had all unfolded, was she the only one who felt anything when they kissed? It was hard to imagine he hadn't noticed, he's seemed as into it as she was.

Maybe he really was just playing into their covers, wasn't interested in her at all…Gods how embarrassing, she'd been about to fucking start tearing his clothes off in that booth and if he was just working, wasn't even interested in her that way.

 _Shit Lucy, you better get your shit together, if he's not interested…hell maybe he likes guys, he does spend a lot of time with Bickslow and Bix could sure as hell be willing to try that as crazy as he is_.

They had walked out of the café and climbed into the cab, Cobra instructing the driver to take them to the market district for Lucys shoping. The moment the carriage started to move he reached across and pulled Lucy to him, his lips crashing into hers.

This was more like the kiss she'd been expecting from him, still not rough, Gods his lips were just incredible, but firm, hungry, and it made her want more, need more.

She shifted, from being half standing to straddling him and sitting down in his lap, moaning into his mouth when his hands slid under her skirt, cupping her rear, squeezing the firm rounded cheeks.

 _Oh God…oh yes…please…yes… ok he's not into guys…dear god can he kiss_ …

Cobra slowed his assault on Lucys mouth, shifting to a more languid gentle touch. He shouldn't have done this, should have just left her confused, but he didn't want her to think for a minute he wasn't interested in her, and sure as fuck didn't want her thinking he was into guys, no, he loved every curve, every soft spot, every movement a woman like her made.

Lucys touch drove him half crazy, but when she started trying to pull his shirt loose form his jeans he pulled back, cupping her chin and running his thumb over her kiss swollen lips.

"Still think I'm into guys and not interested?" He asked, his voice was husky, betraying how much their kissing had affected him, as if the uncomfortable tightness of his jeans wasn't proof enough.

"You and Bix spend a lot of time together." She pointed out defiantly, he smiled, even breathing hard and stirred up as hell reeking of arousal to the point he was suffering breathing at the moment she still took shots at him.

"He's my roommate, and my friend, I can't read him." He added the last by way of explanation, since it was common knowledge he didn't really do the whole "friend" thing.

"You can't read Bixy? Is that because of his magic?" She asked, impressed but wondering why that would matter.

He wasn't sure he liked the cute nickname Bix had with her, but left that to investigate later. "Yeah, and it matters because…I get overwhelmed sometimes by me listening, worn down and tired shielding and trying to sift through things but I don't hear Bix and something he does for his own reasons makes it so when I'm around him, I don't get as much "noise" from people, I can focus on individuals better without other peoples souls sort of barging in."

Lucy blinked, amazed, this was the most Cobra had ever really spoken to her aside from when they stood by the bar and he made her laugh telling her about the pick up lines men were trying at the club, or which guy was after which girl and such.

They'd never talked about anything this personal though. She liked it, liked this side of him…a lot.

Cobra didn't miss where her thoughts were going, relieved he'd cooled her down, too much more and he wouldn't have been able to stop, would have been yelling to the driver to take them all around Hargeon while he'd taken her right there in the carriage.

She'd been willing, had been thinking the same damn thing.

"Does it happen at the club?" She asked. He nodded "Every night, I end up sort of seeking shelter at times, some peoples souls are more calming than others." He told her.

While they were talking she had shifted, sitting on his thighs, her hands on his chest, idly moving slightly, fingers randomly tightening or going lax, and he caught her looking at his mouth, but he wasn't going to take the bait, the carriage driver was getting them to the market district, and was pulling up and Cobra helped Lucy readjust her clothes, leering at her and wickedly smacking her ass when she bent to climb out the carriage door.

Had to get her glaring again, he liked her best when she was half ready to strangle him.

Their day was mostly uneventful from that point. Lucy bought up enough bath soaps, salts, shampoo and body spray to last a couple lifetimes in Cobras estimation, and was happy to see his comment about her not needing them because she smelled edible all on her own set off an ongoing array of wicked dirty thoughts and ideas from the flustered blonde.

He insisted on visiting the candy store. "I can't function without Tink, I had to gag my way through the fucking bath soap store you can handle this." He said, pushing her lightly through the door and ignoring her glare and huff of annoyance.

While he stocked up on peppermints, lollipops (Oh Gods help her) and a variety of other candies she caved and bought a few types of chocolate, a bag of still warm fresh caramels because she was…badly, craving caramel for some reason she didn't want to think too much about.

They had lunch at a place that specialized in spicy Eastern food and Lucy closed her eyes when the aromas from the dishes brought to the low set table wafted over her.

They were sitting on cushions on the floor and Cobra had teased her about needing to stand behind her while she sat down so nobody got a free show. Her skirt was a little short.

"Ok, so I like spicy foods, but I admit I've never eaten like this…" She blinked at the assortment of dishes, flatbreads and the little dish set in front of her.

No forks or spoons or anything.

Cobra grinned leaning forward "Traditional Eastern service Tinkerbell, you share dishes, use the flatbreads or your fingers to take what you want, you can put sauces into your dish in front of you to enhance flavors, add more bite to the spice if you want it…I'm doubting you will."

Her thoughts were all over the place, and he showed her how to eat the various foods, described what was what, and was honest with her about how spicy hot certain things were.

This sort of food was right up his ally too, some of the acids and spices in the food made his toxin loving system just sing with delight.

It impressed him the Blonde was willing to try everything, and he only teased her mildly when she tried things that had her gaging and tears streaming down her face from the spice. It had been his idea to come here since he'd let her pick where they ate breakfast.

"There's no meat at all." Lucy observed, she'd discovered the slightly purple thick and almost buttery tasting dish helped to cool down her burning mouth and had gravitated toward it and a few of the other less spicy things, like the leaf wrapped things that resembled little burritos and contained a sweet and salty mixture of rice and various vegetables.

"Nope, not in anything we have here, vegetarian meal. You need bacon with everything or something?" He smirked and she smiled back at him.

"Not everything…just most things." She replied cheekily. His good humor since they had left the candy store was something she'd been greatly enjoying. He still had a sharp sarcastic tongue, but she actually liked his brand of sarcasm and when his humor got involved she found herself laughing so hard she could barely breathe a couple of times.

He looked so relaxed at that moment, leaning on an elbow on the table, his long legs stretched out over the cushions beside him a faint smile on his face. Lucy chest tightened, he had changed so much in the last year, the last few months in particular. Gaining a friend in Bickslow had cracked something in his hard shell that had allowed some of the real man behind the heavy layers of cruel and nasty behavior to shine through at times.

Like today, she'd been enjoying every bit of their time together so far, especially that kiss…getting her hands under his coat pressing against his body with hers, Gods, she'd been struggling all day to try and avoid thinking about it because he caught it every time she did…like right then FUCK.

His smirk and raised eyebrow was all it took so make her blush. Betrayed by her own brain which seemed to have trouble avoiding perverted thoughts when around Cobra.

She was willing to bet his thoughts weren't all that innocent.

"They aren't, especially where you're concerned Tinkerbell." He chuckled. "I got this one, my idea and you were good about it." He said, putting down some notes to cover the bill and tip as he got to his feet and held a had out to her, smirking again "Don't forget to hold your skirt down Tink, there's some old guys over there that may have heart attacks watching you stand up if you don't, they liked the red thong the first time they saw it." He absolutely loved the shocked indignant glare she gave him, and how firmly she held the back hem of her skirt down as she took his hand so he could help her stand.

They stopped at a book store so Lucy could get a couple of books and pick up a stack of blank notebooks for Levy, the woman was apparently tearing through them. Then they hailed a cab and headed back to the club.

They wouldn't have long to get ready for the evening. Cobra seemed unconcerned though, sitting back occasionally popping a peppermint in his mouth.

Lucy managed to keep her thoughts out of the gutter, but he caught her daydreaming about their kisses, she wanted more, and that was what he needed her to do, want him. If he could nurture that desire, get it strong enough in her, she'd come to him, and he could defend it, enjoy it, let himself take what she firmly offered of her own free will.

He didn't think he deserved to pursue her, but he really wasn't, they'd been paired up by the people who had been setting up this operation, their covers written to work together, interact and even play the part of lovers, if she wanted real interaction…wanted him, that was on her.

She'd defend it if it were her choice, he was just encouraging her to make the same choice he wanted.

It wasn't more than sex, he kept telling himself that. He wanted her to want a casual sex arrangement with him, because he didn't do the whole love thing, didn't do relationships. That he even wanted to get into a little fuck buddy thing with her was more than he'd ever wanted from any woman before.

His common approach was simple, he didn't kiss, touched as little as possible, preferred to just bend them over so he didn't even have to look at them while he fucked them. Worked out fine, kept messy attachments and drama to a minimum and he still got to shove his dick into good looking women whenever he had the urge.

It had always worked for him, he was good looking enough he barely even had to work for it. He told himself that the fact he'd now kissed Lucy more than once didn't mean anything, that how into he'd been was just because he hadn't gotten laid since the Rainjinshuu had started this mission over a month ago.

No, it meant nothing, he admitted he wanted more than a one night stand, was willing to give her free access to his bed, and was sure once they'd fucked a few times this weird craving for her would end and she'd no longer be a distraction.

When he followed her into the club, letting his eyes roam up her long shapely legs and sweetly rounded ass he assured himself again, just a few fucks would clear Lucy Heartfillia right out of his system.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxooxoxoxoxooxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

A/N, Big thanks to those leaving reviews, as I've stated before they make a difference, let me know if I'm hitting a mark or straying too much so I appreciate them! Hope everyone is enjoying this Fic so far, I have a lot planned for it!...DESNA


	6. Chapter 6 Investigated

Another week passed, the Fairy Tail crew had settled into their roles well. Cobra let Laxus know about the Rune Knights seeking their contact and he'd passed that information along through the channels they were working with.

Lucy, Bickslow and Gray took the stage the second Saturday night, their routines finally ready and Cobra spent some time during and after Lucys performance not entirely safe to be around so he stepped into the small office behind the bar and worked on getting his barriers up.

The trouble was, Lucy seemed to always get through. He'd spent a lot of time sort of sheltering himself in her soul so he figured maybe that had made it harder for him to block her out. She was elated about how her set had gone, didn't even think about the jewel tossed on the stage or the now large number of men lusting after her.

It was fortunate Cobra was pre-occupied running things on the first floor or he likely would have started poisoning a lot of drinks.

His tumultuous thoughts though got forced to focus a while later when an honestly stunning woman started acting a little odd. She came in, sat at the bar, ordered a drink and didn't touch it, just sat staring at it.

Having been told to let Cobra know when they spotted odd behavior one of the bartenders drew his attention to the woman and he focused in one her.

Rune Knight

She was there to investigate the validity of the "Gold Collars" and try to get a feel for the owner of the club. Her mission was a simple recon, she was weighing her options, trying to decide where she wanted to start.

Careful not to focus his eye on her he kept tuned in closely letting the other souls fade back. She could detect deception magics, their basic disguises via Lucys spirit would be fine, they were cosmetic, not magic maintained. Fortunately, even what Bickslow had been doing wasn't actual deception magic, implanted memories into the soul weren't likely to be something anyone could detect but another Seith, and thanks to the Council, there really weren't any of those around except for Bix.

Still, if they checked her memories with a skilled enough telepath they might find missing pieces and shit would come crashing down.

He hit the button under the bar to send the signal to the third floor he had a lead and stood calmly behind the bar like he always did, keeping an eye on things and looking his part.

The woman noticed his gold collar and honed in on it immediately.

 _There's one…he's handsome so no exaggerations there, nice body…what I can see of it anyway, clearly running things down here so managerial, and everything is running flawlessly so he's not bad at it. Only gold collar I've seen, the rest must be on the upper levels_.

She stood, heading toward where he stood at the end of the bar.

The little "nook" where the bar ended was right by the door to the small office behind it, a few tables few people used kept people from standing around the area, it was also a bit hidden by the staircase to the second floor and you couldn't watch the dance floor well from it, it was Cobras favorite spot.

The woman caught his attention, letting lust permeate her look, he felt her reaching for it, putting her act together.

She reached out to touch his arm and like he did with every patron who tried, he caught her wrist firmly but allowed her to step close, smiling down at her.

"Now now, it's not nice to touch without asking." He chided in a smooth tone. _He's hot, holy hell this could be one of the best assignments I've ever been given_.

"Then I'm asking…you're the hottest thing I've seen in a while, what's a girl gotta do to get into those tight pants?" She purred.

 _I can't believe I'm probably going to be fucking this gorgeous piece of ass for work_.

"You've never been to Heavens Gate before?" He asked. She shook her head, smiling up at him, licking her painted lips.

"You watch the collars, every staff member wears one. Black and silver you can negotiate with on your own, buy dances, companionship, whatever with them. Gold collars…well…we're better…skilled, than the rest, we're only available by special arrangement you would make with management, which is either a white collar, or the boss herself, Miss Taffy. Nothing a Gold collar can do…comes cheap." He told her, rubbing his thumb over her wrist.

It was then he felt Lucy before he even saw her. She was coming down the stairs, probably sent in answer to his alert. He released the womans wrist and she placed the freed hand on his chest.

"Money is not a problem…I just really…seriously…need a good time someone like you, God you have the best fucking lips, I bet they're tasty…" She purred, trying to lean up, begging for him to kiss her, letting her body lean against his.

Feeling jealousy, honest to God jealousy flare up in Lucy, _Ok, who's the creepy whore hanging all over Cobra and why the fuck is he letting her practically feel him up_?!

He damn near grinned in delight hearing that, and let the womans hand snake around him to grab his ass just because of it, even though his skin just crawled and he felt revulsion rise up strong in him. Nope, this one wanted him she'd be bending over to get him.

"I'm not one of the kissers honey, I'm one of the rough ones." He smirked and she giggled "I do like that too." She admitted.

 _Oh as long as I get to feel that body of yours gorgeous, I don't care how rough you might get_.

"Hello!" A bright friendly tone that did not match what was raging inside the beautiful Blonde interrupted them.

 _Damn slut, quit dry humping him. Fucking fake ass eyelash wearing, push up bra sporting bitch_.

"Layla here can take you to one of the execs or to the boss if you're serious about a Gold Collars company." Cobra said to the woman and Lucy felt a relieved rush go through her as he pulled the womans hand off his ass.

"Company? Sexy, I don't care about your company, I want to experience a skilled fuck with you." The woman laughed and Cobra saw Lucys eyes flash.

 _He isn't a hunk of meat you nasty bitch. Oh I am so steering you to Bixy, maybe I can get him to make you fuck a chair for an hour thinking it's Cobra_.

It took every bit of Cobras self control to keep himself from showing the slightest hint of the wave of hilarity that hit him.

"I'll be happy to take you to speak with one of our leads." Lucy said sweetly. The woman finally turned to her with bored eyes "Wow, you got a Gold Collar? Maybe they don't mean as much as you said gorgeous." She grinned back at Cobra after giving Lucy a withering look.

 _Oh I think a wooden chair, you so deserve the splinters you skank_.

Lucy just smiled "Please follow me ma'am."

 _I'd lead you off the 4_ _th_ _floor balcony and give you a nice push to help if I didn't think you'd make a mess by the front door_.

"One moment, Layla? I need you to take bottle of Gold label to the Boss, she called down asking for it and I haven't been able to get away." Cobra pulled Lucy aside and behind the bar to get the bottle and as he reached for it yanked her against him, "She's a Rune Knight, she's checking out the validity of the Gold Collars and investigating us. Handle with care Tinkerbell." He whispered against her ear. "Hold on to your cover, play it up."

She smiled at him.

 _Oh I'll play it up all right, every detail_. She thought and she took the bottle in one hand as they rejoined the impatient looking woman. Reaching out she slid a hand across his back down over his ass and to his thigh, sliding it pressing her nails in across the front of his pants and grinning wickedly.

"Mmm, baby, you do work that uniform, follow me ma'am, Jax is a beast, I won't lie, but you should see all the Gold Collars we have to offer before you make your choice, a woman likes to shop right?" She asked brightly, winking wickedly at Cobra before leading the woman past the Bouncers to the second level.

 _Hows THAT for working my cover Cobra? I know you can hear me_!

Cobra was left working to try and regain full control over himself, ending up stomping into the office for a few minutes.

The woman eyed Lucy with interest. "So You're allowed to fraternize with each other? That was a pretty familiar touch there." She observed.

Lucy grinned "Boss doesn't mind as long as it doesn't interfere with our performance in our work. Gives us the ability to give patrons experienced advice about which Gold Collar would bet suit their particular needs." She replied brightly.

She led the woman through heavy black curtains into the male review section, smiling faintly seeing Gray on stage and women about losing their minds over him.

There was some choice teasing fodder for later.

"Please have a seat, I need to check and see if the boss is available. We have two Gold collars in this section right now, Seth is on stage, Chase is right over there, both have fantastic skill sets. Chase is even a gymnast…flexible, agile, with a particularly talented tongue." She purred at the woman.

 _That's right you Rune Knight bitch, drool puddles, Gray could freeze that skanky twat so you're even colder down there than you already are_.

She left the woman beckoning Bickslow who met her at the opening of the curtains. "Rune Knight investigating us." Lucy whispered to him, smiling and kissing his neck to hide her pass by his ear.

He grinned, running a finger over her cheek staying bent close to her so he could reply.

"Extra special treatment." He purred. Turning toward the woman while Lucy headed for the third floor.

Lucy walked right up to Cana, Levy, Gajeel and Laxus, who honestly were looking bored. There was only one Patron on the third floor at the moment and he was occupied.

"Ok, Cobra spotted a Rune Knight, she's asking questions, investigating, Cobra says she's checking the validity of the Gold Collars and checking out Miss Taffy. She's with Bickslow right now, showed interest in setting up entertainment with Cobra, wants a Gold Collar, has said openly she is out to get, and I quote, "a skilled fuck" with one of them." She said quietly.

All four sets of eyes widened.

"If she's a Rune Knight sent to investigate us she'll be able to spot deception magic and who knows which kinds, if we implant a memory she may go back and they may check to make sure she really…did the deed and got the services paid for." Laxus said, frowning.

He knew Cobra had aversions to being touched, no way he'd kiss the woman, Laxus didn't doubt he'd be willing, for the job, to bend her over and fuck one for the team but then any of them really would with the exceptions of Freed Lucy and Levy, it was why the team had been chosen and put together like it was.

"Ok, bring her up. Levy, no note taking, you get into Gajeels lap and work your damn cover, Cana can't be hanging on both of us every time. Game faces, play your roles." He snapped.

Lucy nodded, heading back to the stairs to fetch the Rune Knight.

Levy swallowed hard, so far, she'd only done a little touching here and there, just his arms mostly, played with his hair, but for the client last weekend she'd been occupied with a different lead when the woman had gone up and Cana had played up her ownership of her two private guards. Apparently so well the woman had requested Gajeel and the whole thing had gone off flawlessly.

This time though they had a Rune Knight under cover investigating. Levy acting shy or reserved around a man that was supposed to be nothing but protection and pleasure to her wouldn't due, their cover personas had a few years of carefully built history behind them, Lainy was a seasoned, experienced assistant to the owner of an adult pleasure providing night club for the rich and famous.

They were claiming these Gold collars were highly skilled and therefore extremely high priced and that Laxus and Gajeel in particular were favorites of the owner and the executive staff.

They had to provide proof of that now.

She looked at Gajeel with wide eyes. She'd been holding herself together really well since that first night, had spent a night with Lucy once, just to help with nerves, but really had done well, hadn't'had to bother Gajeel with her anxiety since that first night.

This however, made her very very nervous. She needed to make Gajeel look like a sex toy, one she used, and also make it look like business as usual.

"It's Ok Shrimp…just keep thinking about the job, that's all this is…work…look like you're enjoying what you're doing but keep your head clear. Tap my neck here, " He had turned so he was kneeing in front of her and he showed her where on his neck, hidden by his hair he wanted her to touch him "if you need me to cover something or take over."

She nodded and he pulled her suddenly to the edge of the lounge, Cana was already on top of Laxus, snickering briefly "Try not to get a hard on Sparky" She quipped. "Keep your hands off my dick and we'll be fine." Laxus replied.

Gajeel was now kneeling between her spread legs, his arms resting alongside her thighs, hands on her hips. With him on his knees and her sitting on the lounge, Levy was only slightly above eye level with him.

"Kiss me Shrimp." He urged, smiling at her encouragingly. Every bit of his will, every ounce of his resolve he brought to bear, so far Levy had been playing her role and just using odd touches here and there, had sat and played with his hair while one man had come to talk about a deal he was after. It had worked.

A Rune Knight though would be looking for hesitations, shyness, any evidence that things were not what they were presented to be.

He and Laxus were supposed to be the best the club had to offer in male entertainment, the first picks of the owner herself. Levy had to showcase a hint of that. Gajeel could work it, and if he were dealing with Cana he'd already proven he could tempt a woman, play into that hungry voyeurism.

Levy though he was going to have to help through this, and in doing, keep his own very real desire for her, his dragons desire for her, in check.

Levy threaded her hands into his hair and leaned in, kissing him, tentative at first, and he massaged her flesh at her hips, humming softly in approval. His touch, his encouragement tripped something in Levy.

The idea suddenly came home, she had Gajeel Redfox on his knees in front of her, no matter what she did, how she went at him, it would only help to sell their covers and he wouldn't reject anything, wouldn't stop her, would play right into it and maybe even enjoy it…God she hoped he did.

She had so little experience, but she'd read a lot, still, Gajeels lips defied what she knew, how they affected her, how they felt on hers, he knew how to kiss too, so much more skilled than she was, she could spend a lifetime just kissing the man and die happy feeling like she'd led a full life.

He had more to offer though, than just hot soft lips and a wicked pierced tongue. He had a body that made hers shudder when her eyes moved over him.

Contact with it did incredible things to her lower body, she pulled both of her hands from his hair and ran them down his chest, right over his belt where her movement made his breath hitch and she smiled.

She pushed both hands right under the tight vest, fingers deftly undoing the clasps as they worked their way up, alternating between palming his skin and the contours of the muscle up his center and dragging her nails over it and he growled but didn't stop her.

Vaguely she heard Cana suddenly start speaking and tried to pay attention but she was just consumed by the power she was wielding at the moment over the Iron Dragon Slayer kneeing before her.

Gajeel was clinging to his control by fraying threads when he heard Lucy bring the Rune Knight up, his dragon was ramming the bars of its cage wanting Levy, needing her. Holy hell when the woman turned on and let go a little his experience didn't amount for shit compared to her pure innocent, hungry raw sex appeal.

How she moved her hands, got under the vest, was working her touch over his skin had reduced him to near mindless need. He wanted those hands all over him, wanted his all over her and when he heard the conversation start he knew he had to free Levys mouth, give her a chance to clear her head and focus on the business deal.

He drew carefully away from her mouth, kissing the corner of her mouth and skimming his lips over her to her neck and the chest left bare by the low neckline of the white dress.

By doing it he left her able to see and listen, even participate if she could manage it, he tried to keep his attentions light, it wasn't easy for him, he wanted to sink his fangs into her, tear the dress off, lay her back on the lounge and claim her at last.

Levy blinked hazy eyes, smiling faintly as Gajeels lips moved over her skin. His hands remained on her hips, his arms warm and firm against the outsides of her thighs.

Oh sweet Mavis how she wished they were alone.

But no, Rune Knight from hell was smirking, watching Gajeel pleasuring her and all Levy really wanted at that moment was to script a two ton boulder over the womans head and drop it on her.

"So you've seen the best, and now the very best we have here." Cana said. Laxus had stood and the Rune Knight was looking up at him in amazement.

Levy suppressed a shudder, whoever she chose, whatever she chose to do with them, they couldn't risk memory implants. One of her friends, possibly even the man nuzzling her neck, was going to be at the mercy of this womans lust.

"So how much jewel am I parting with for a couple of hours, sex included, with one of your Gold Collars Miss Taffy?" The woman asked, smirk not faltering.

"Second floor Golds which does include Jax who you met at the bar for two hours is a base of 100 million jewel all inclusive. Light and Dark here, either one, 300 million per hour. Nonnegotiable unless you have a magic item of some rarity for a possible trade in to reduce the cash price. Miss Taffy enjoys collecting pieces of interest." Lainy said in a cold, detached voice as if there weren't a sexy raven haired man between her legs licking and kissing her neck and chest.

Gajeel restrained his desire to reward her…he'd do it later.

The woman frowned slightly "Those are very high prices." She said.

Miss Taffy shrugged, running her hand over Lights flank and smirking "I don't really like sharing my best, won't hurt my feelings if you choose a black or silver collar and save your jewel." she said calmly.

The woman smirked, narrowing her eyes "Fine, 300 million, I'll take him for an hour." She said, nodding toward Laxus.

Canas hand stopped and she raised a brow.

"You pay for your time up front. Be aware, Light is…stimulating, if your heart fails your money will not be returned to next of kin and if you lack the stamina or ability to handle him, there will also be no refund." Lainy said firmly.

"Deal." The woman said firmly

She pulled her bag from her shoulder and counted out the jewel onto the table. Lainy tapped Darks shoulder and the man stopped his attentions on her, gathering up the money and carrying it across the room and through a doorway.

Lainy stood. "Please come with me, Miss…" She led and the woman smiled, tearing her eyes off of Laxus who was smirking at her.

"Jera, my name is Jera." She replied, loud enough the others could hear even as she followed Lainy.

"Miss Jera, I shall see you to one of the private circles." She led Jera to a sunken sitting area with the lounge, cushions and curtains. "Not much privacy for 300 million jewel." Jera commented.

"The curtains once closed provide a magically privatized setting, no sound can escape them and nobody will disturb you until your time is up." Lainy replied "Use of a VIP suite is an additional million jewel."

"This will be fine, I'm not here for the setting, I'm here for the sex." Jera told her with a hard laugh.

"Light will take care of your needs." Lainy said, waiting until the woman seated herself "He will be with you shortly, please drink this." She handed Jera a small vial of purple fluid.

"Let me guess…birth control?" She asked. Lainy nodded "Non-negotiable. It's temporary, only lasts for a week."

The woman swallowed down the potion and Lainy closed the curtains as soon as she saw the woman swallow and smack her lips at the harsh taste.

She saw Laxus coming toward her. "Send Bix when the time is up." He said "If this bitch is bent on not being happy, we'll force her to be. Did she drink the vial?" He asked. Levy nodded "Every drop."

Laxus heaved a sigh, seeming to steel himself "Lust draft in that will take effect in 5 minutes, I took one too, hard to get excited heading into this." He admitted with a hard chuckle.

"Get back to the others." He snapped then, stepping through the curtains.

An hour later Bickslow went to the curtains and slid inside silently, emerging a minute later with a smirk on his face.

"No worries, Boss man did the deed, womans got a grin on her face that wont leave for days." He chuckled.

He went back downstairs and a few moments after he did Cobra came up, flanked by Lucy. Gajeel glanced toward the curtained spot Laxus was likely helping the Rune Knight get back into her clothes in.

"You two are supposed to be a thing. Layla, she showed interest in him first, she needs to see he's working. Jax sit there." He shoved Cobra ignoring his growl onto the lounge a little way down from where Levy was sitting and put Lucy on his lap. "Get busy, Jax can you get a read on her ok with distraction?" He asked.

Cobra nodded "Not a problem." He said confidently "Layla isn't ever much of a distraction."

Lucys sharp glare made him smile in spite of himself

 _Not much of a distraction huh_?!

She knew she was supposed to just basically provide a shield, give Cobra a reason to be there and not participating in whatever was going on, keep the woman from approaching, just like in the café a week ago. She should keep her actions simple but obvious and light enough not to really distract him.

What he needed to do was important. However, what she meant to do was too, to her at least.

So she kissed his neck, nuzzling into him, making her body move, angle toward his chest, one hand sliding over his back, the other in his hair as she kissed and nibbled lightly.

She knew he hated anyone touching him, especially certain parts of him, he'd nearly hurt a young woman who had stumbled up to him drunk and when he hadn't instantly looked at her because he was pouring a drink, she'd touched his ear.

His reaction had forced Lucy into damage control with the woman and her companion and when she'd returned to him after getting everything under control he'd shrugged "Nobody ever touches my fucking ears."

She saw the curtains open, nuzzled in firmly then tilted her head upward and kissed his lobe and the golden ring hanging from it.

A shudder ran through him, and a growl shook her but she just smiled, even when his arms closed hard around her in warning, using her tongue to tease the intensely sensitive spot then nuzzling behind it, to the tender skin just at the base and nipping it, letting her lips brush his ear as she did.

His hold on her then was nearly painful, his head snapped around and her lips were crushed by his, he attacked her mouth and she smiled against his assault.

 _You're not distracted, I'm not much of a distraction_ … she thought, knowing he could hear it.

A few moments later he tore his lips from hers to breathe, glaring down at her "You're fucking evil." He hissed.

She leaned up, kissing him briefly before moving quickly and gracefully from his lap without a word.

 _Evil maybe, but down ever downplay me you son of a bitch_. Rang clearly in her soul as she smiled and linked arms with Levy heading to the stairs to the fourth floor.

The Rune Knight investigation was handled, by the end of the following week Laxus came to their nightly meeting grinning.

"Pack up folks, we're out of here, we have new orders. You can leave in the morning and head back to Magnolia, we meet in the meeting room next to my office tomarrow at 5pm and I'll fill you all in on the next step. Great job, according to our employers, we got what they needed us to from here and now we're moving to the next step. Hang on to the disguises, you aren't free from cover yet so no running around Magnolia, try to stick to the guild hall. Get yourselves home and make arrangements to be gone again, possibly for a while." He told them.

Everyone was smiling, collars were thrown down on the table and Freed gathered them all in a box he took to the office before heading to his room to pack.

Levy was packed within a few minutes and at Lucys door.

"Girl are you crazy? No trains until 5am." Lucy laughed seeing her friend standing there with her suitcase.

"Two hours from now and I'm going to be on it!" Levy declared firmly. Lucy laughed, pulling Levy into her room.

"I'll go with you, I want out of here, I want my fucking bath tub and then I'm sleeping until it's almost time for the damn meeting!" She declared.

There were only cramped showers in their bathrooms, Lucy hadn't had a proper bath in three weeks.

They chatted happily, if a bit tired, while Lucy packed her things and there was a knock at the door. "I got it Lu." Levy said, rising from where she was sitting on the bed to open the door.

Gajeel stood smiling down at her. "Figured you were in Lucys room Shrimp." He said, eyes moving past her to Lucy "You two hitting the 5am train too?" He asked.

Levy grabbed his arm, pulling him into the room "Yes, we're not staying in this bathtubless hell a minute longer than we have to." Lucy declared with a laugh.

"Exactly!" Levy agreed, her fingers still curled around Gajeels forearm. He had his pack over his shoulder and smiled down at her. "I'll go with you, don't think we're the only ones either, wouldn't surprise me if everyone were on that first train out of here." He said.

He was relieved to be leaving the club, the whole night with the Rune Knight had been rough, he'd been a little shaken ever since, Levys touches bothering him more, unsettling him and fanning the flames he'd already been dealing with for months before they had even come to the club in the first place.

Whatever the next step of this mission was, at least he wouldn't be dealing with Levy in a tiny white dress kissing him, touching him, running her little hands over his body driving him out of his mind while he had to stay stoic and struggle to keep himself from getting hard over the attention, all while his dragon was going half wild driving him harder and harder to do something about claiming the woman it had chosen for him.

He knew if he'd been forced to deal with that damn Rune Knight it would have taken the same damn potion Laxus had used to get his body to agree to the job.

That thought caught him again. Laxus was a playboy, had been for as long as Gajeel had been in the guild, was notorious on the same level as Bickslow for it. Before he'd met Levy, and gotten to know her and they had started building…whatever it was they had, he could have walked into that curtained area and fucked that Rune Knight raw without much thought or concern, now though, that his dragon was focused on Levy, he really doubted he could get himself to "work" for any woman but her, Dragon Magic just worked that way, and the longer he took to move on his desired woman, the worse it would all get for him as his dragon soul pushed him harder and harder to take action.

So that was why Gajeel had reason to worry about the situation, why he would have needed a lust potion in order to do anything that involved actual sex and not just using his hands and mouth. He'd realized that when they'd dealt with Penny, with the woman grinding all over him, ramming her tongue down his throat and creeping down his body fully intending to suck on him, he hadn't felt a thing, not so much as a twitch of excitement and Penny hadn't been bad looking.

A few months earlier and he would have knocked Bickslow aside and given the woman some real memories instead of just implants, Laxus wouldn't have been pouring electricity through her to sore her muscles, Gajeel would have handled it.

Not now though, and he knew why, had even come to terms with it and was planning to do something…once the damn mission was over.

But Laxus? He should have been able to walk in there a fuck the woman blind. To Gajeels knowledge the Lightning Slayer had nobody he was interested in, certainly nobody in the guild or at least nobody on this mission, Gajeel had watched closely the last few days. Laxus had no interest in any of the women with them, even when Cana was on top of him playing tonsil hockey and openly groping the man, he remained cool and firmly in control of himself, his heart rate didn't even go up.

Cana had been working herself up so bad during those little "play" sessions that he'd heard her slip into Bickslows room a couple of times, and the Seith mage hadn't turned her away either.

He pushed the thoughts aside, Laxus' sex life really wasn't his concern or even something he wanted to think about. His attention belonged squarely on the smiling little bluenette who plopped down on Lucys bed.

Gajeel had been right, when they were leaving Gray, Cana and Evergreen fell in with them and they found everyone else already at the station.

Nobody had any intentions of staying a minute longer than they had to.

Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxxo

Laxus strode into the Guild hall at 3, he had to talk with his grandfather, fill him in on everything happening with their mission, Freed was right behind him and headed upstairs to start getting the meeting area ready. Bickslow was at the bar, sitting beside Cana and chatting with Mira while his totems flew excitedly around him. They'd been in stasis for a month and while they didn't perceive the time while it was passing, when they were brought from it they knew.

He saw Lucy sitting at her usual table, her and Gray apparently already explaining to Natsu that no they couldn't tell him where they had been and no they couldn't go on any team missions just yet.

Levy and Gajeel were at Gajeel usual spot, Lily chatting happily with them and Evergreen was over in Elfmans lap. Even Cobra was present, sitting on the other side of Bickslow at the bar.

He spotted Emma sitting with Lucys team, he almost stopped then and detoured, really wanting to find out how she was progressing with her lightning magic, but his time was painfully limited, he had a lot to get done before 5pm.

It was odd but the little Alchemist had been on his mind a lot the last few weeks. He wrote it off to her being an unwilling part of the whole development of this mission he was leading.

He was though, very pleased to see a blue Fairy Tail symbol on her right arm. Gramps must have talked her into joining which meant the guild could now protect her if the council ever found her.

Once his meeting with Makarov was complete Laxus moved through the guild again, stopping at the bar.

"Mira, did Freed already handle getting food ordered for the meeting?" He asked. The Barmaid smiled her usual smile "Yes Laxus, Kinana and I will be bringing everything up in a few minutes." He nodded "Ok, Thanks."

He took the stairs up two at a time, not difficult for him with his size, and hurried to his office to get going on his call to Hidden Hope.

It was nearly 10 after and the team was assembled and already eating the meal brought for them when Laxus finally joined them, case in hand.

Several eyes caught that case, it was exactly like the one he'd had on the train down to Hargeon.

"Ok, so next phase of this is ready to start. You've all been arranged into teams by the employer, you'll be operating under your established covers with minor changes to accommodate the needs of each teams job. Most of this work is going to be seeking things out and recovering them, whether it be objects or information." Laxus said. He flipped open the case and he and Freed handed everyone their own file.

"Read up folks, these dissolve in 2 hours, no notes allowed Levy, Lucy." He snapped when both women had pulled out notebooks.

Lucy frowned, Assigned cover: Layla Assigned Partner: Jax Team will sweep North West section and investigate following leads, there was a reference to a separate list in an envelope she touched that apparently wasn't going to dissolve but what drew her frown was "Team will maintain couple cover already begun in first phase. Scheduled for arrival at Rosegarden Retreat as Layla and Jax Paresh, Newlyweds on their honeymoon."

"Fuck." She breathed, Levy frown leaning over to look and bit her lip, giving Lucy a comforting look. "I'm sure it won't be bad, you two have been getting along fine." She whispered under the cover of Laxus going over the basics of the team assignments.

"YOU don't have to worry, you're teamed up with Gajeel, he's easy to work with AND pretty much your boyfriend already anyway." Lucy whispered back sullenly.

"I wouldn't say he's easy to work with…but we get along really well." Levy protested, blushing and choosing not to answer to the other part of Lucys comment.

"So That's Levy and Gajeel handling South East, Cana and Gray have North East, Lucy and Cobra are taking the North West, Bix and Evergreen are taking the South West and Freed and I will be handling the central region working to help coordinate everyone, we're your contacts, so take these." Laxus said, Freed handed out slender Com Lacrimas. "They're already programmed to call both of us so if you can't get me, call Freed to report in and get instructions, something you'll be doing after each completed task on your lists."

"So you all have your departure dates and times, tickets for your first destination are in your envelopes, none of you are spending the night here tonight so get home, get packed and get your asses heading where they need to go." Laxus finished and everyone rose.

Lucy frowned, watching Cobra breeze out of the meeting room without a backwards glance.

"Some husband I've got." She scoffed under her breath. She didn't have time to sulk though, forced to rush home so she could pack quickly she gave her suitcases to Virgo, refusing to lug them around and just shouldered her tote bag with a couple of books, snacks, including two bags of candy from Hargeon, fucking Cobra had gotten her hooked on taffy and these amazing little mints he'd introduced her to.

She had to jog to the train station, they were facing a week traveling. It was a good thing Cobra didn't suffer from motion sickness like the other slayers or the next week would have been torture for him.

 _Too bad, I could have enjoyed a break from his attitude_. Lucy thought darkly, still annoyed. Why couldn't she have been teamed up with Gray? That would have been easy, he was like a brother to her, just like Natsu, they would have hammed up the newlywed thing and had too much fun with the whole act.

With Cobra though…every touch, every kiss just turned her libido up into overdrive and her brain went perv mode, and he could catch just about all of it too there was no hiding it from him!

She had no idea where she stood with him either, he'd been downright mad at her after she'd sucked on his earing and nuzzled at his neck and ear the night the Rune Knight had been at the club. Had been avoiding her since, when she'd walked down the steps to check on things and see if he had leads he'd brush her off, tell her Bix or Levy had already been down.

He hadn't even been calling her "Tink" or "Tinkerbell" or throwing rude comments at her, he'd been completely distant.

She'd thought he was interested in her, his comments sure made it seem that way, and that day they had spent running around the market district in Hargeon had been practically Lucys definition of a perfect date, had it been a date and not part of their mission.

His kisses…God those couldn't have been meaningless, she'd never been kissed like that, never felt so much, gotten so lost and just turned into a burning, wet, heated mess by kissing a man before, but Cobra had done that to her every single time. Just left her salivating, hungry, yearning for more of him.

She liked his sarcasm, enjoyed his sharp scathing wit, and damn it, she liked being called Tinkerbell!

Of all her stupid nick names, that was her favorite.

The little fairy was a favorite character of hers, she'd even gotten together a sexy little Tinkerbell costume for Halloween this year…though they were going to be on assignment in fucking Rosegarden over Halloween. She heaved a sigh, climbing onto the train and thinking she probably should have tried to catch Cobra before leaving the guild hall to set up when and where they would meet.

"Would have been a good idea Tink." A deep voice said behind her as she was walking down the isle of the train looking for an empty compartment.

She about jumped out of her skin.

"Co…JAX!" She corrected herself mid-snarl, whirling to face the Poison Slayer who was smirking at her, looking like his usual panty-dropping self in maroon jeans and a black button down with his white furlined coat.

"Nice save…Layla." He nodded at her to keep moving and she gave him a final glare before resuming her search, grateful to find one toward the back of the car.

They settled in it, Cobra closing the door, locking it and pulling the blind before sitting down.

"No luggage? Planning on wearing the same clothes the whole trip?" He asked, shoving his bag into the overhead.

"Oh! No, in fact, it will be easier if you stow yours with Virgo too, we've got two train changes that will be a pain dragging a suitcase. Want Virgo to hold yours too? She keeps mine in the spirit realm until I need them." Lucy offered.

He frowned slightly "That's the pink haired maid right? The one with the chains on her?"

Lucy smiled "Yeah, she'd the one you saw at our meet ups with Frankie."

"Long as it's not the little evil twins." He said darkly. It dawned on Lucy then, Cobra knew Angels ex-spirits. He'd no doubt worked and trained with him, and if that were true…and Gemini could read anyone they had copied…

"Shove that idea right up your ass Tinkerbell. Those little shits aren't getting close enough to copy me again and it's been too long since the last time they did it for them to remember it so whatever little fantasy you were planning? Just no…real me…or nothing." He smiled nastily and Lucy glared at him.

"Open…gate of the maiden, Virgo." She called, Virgo appearing between then since Cobra sat on one side of the compartment and Lucy was on the other. "Punishment Princess?" She asked, Lucy shook her head.

"Virgo would you hold Cobras luggage for us please?" Lucy asked. Virgo nodded, reaching up to grab the bag but Cobra grabbed it first.

"Hang on, need a couple things first before you take it." He opened a compartment and pulled out his mission envelope and a bag from the Candy shop in Magnolia before closing it and handing it to Virgo with a gruff "Thanks"

"Will that be all Princess?" Virgo asked and Lucy smiled at her "Yes thank you Virgo!"

The spirit was gone then and Cobra sat back down, pulling out a lollipop, ripping off the wrapper and popping it in his mouth before turning his attention to his mission envelope.

He held it up and seemed to shake something into his hand. Lucy watched curiously.

A moment later he was pulling her left hand out of her lap.

"Hey!" She tried to snatch it back but he held on firmly.

"Quit being a pain in the ass, you need to wear this." He snapped, pushing two rings onto her finger. They were gorgeous and she realized what they were. One a diamond engagement ring, the other it's matching wedding band.

"I.." She stared at her hand, for just a mission, the rings felt heavy, like they were really gold.

"Relax, have some candy." He shoved another lollipop into her mouth and she made a startled sound but closed her eyes as Strawberry exploded in her mouth.

"Best ones I've come across are at Carsons in Magnolia, guy makes em with real fruit infused in them." He told her. Lucy smiled "Thank you…it's amazing." She agreed.

"Oh! I got something for you, I had Mira start saving appleseeds, they use a lot of apples, and the seeds have cyanide in them so I thought you might like them, I toasted em with sugar on them, hopefully they taste good." She pulled a jar full of sugar coated seeds from her tote and handed it to him. "Fair trade for an awesome lollipop." She decided.

Cobra was stunned, taking the jar and almost ripping the lid off. Cyanide wasn't cheap and a natural source set up as a treat? That Lucy had found that out and acted on it? He was amazed.

"Thanks Tinkerbell…I love cyanide, better than those little buttermints." He smiled, pulling the lollipop from his mouth to toss a handful of seeds in.

The flavor was delicious, woody, sweet with a nice hit of poison to it…instantly one of his new favorite things.

"She's going to keep saving the seeds, when she gets enough again I'll toast them in sugar and jar them up for you, it's pretty easy. You got me addicted to those you know, those damn buttermints." She pulled a bag from the candy shop in Hargeon out and he laughed. Genuinely laughed.

She'd never heard the sound before but she vowed she'd hear it again.

"He's gotta put some addictive substance in these." She commented.

"Just really good recipe made really well, I'd know otherwise." Cobra chuckled.

"Yeah and then you'd like them even more, they'd probably make you high or something!" Lucy grinned. He shifted on the bench, bringing a leg up and leaning back against the side wall.

"Naw…not something like that…these seeds though…shit…pure unfiltered, natural Cyanide. Damn." He popped another handful into his mouth before sealing the jar and closing his eye to savor the taste.

He wasn't kidding, he was getting a nice rush off the apple seeds. Toasting them in sugar just seemed to add to it.

Lucy smiled, he…he was getting high! Leaning with his head back against the wall, a faint smile on his soft tasty looking lips.

Those lips quirked as soon as she had the dirty thought, a quick image of her on her back on bench, him on top of her, his hand under her shirt, kissing her while he teased one of her breasts.

She shoved it away as fast as it had come but he was chuckling huskily. "No no no Tinkerbell, you can't hide what your soul wants from me…it tells me…sings to me…every time…you know? I haven't kissed my bride." He said in a silken voice that made her body tense and heat up. He reached up, held his left hand in front of him and slid a heavy gold band onto his finger, it must have been in the envelope with the rings for her…it looked so good against his deeply tan skin.

But then he turned, locking gazes with her and moving to her, she almost couldn't breathe "I saw what you want from me…I want it too Tink…" He almost purred, the sound of his voice bordering on hypnotic to her, his hand sliding lightly, barely touching, across her face and into her hair and he pulled her to him, pulling the lollipop from her mouth right before their lips met.

The kisses before really had nothing on this one. Cobra wasn't himself, riding a euphoric wave of pleasure from the potent cyanide the appleseeds had given him. Tasting Lucy, the sweet flavor of the strawberry lollipop still heavy on her lips and tongue, he sweet scent flowing over him, deliciously mixed with rapidly increasing arousal that just added to his light headed bliss.

He gave her all he had, held nothing back, it was so out of character for him, he had never wanted to give Lucy everything, always just left her with little tastes and hints of what he could do.

Not this time, this time he had no inhibitions thanks to her toxic little treat, and he laid her back on the bench, pushing his hand up under her shirt, doing exactly what he'd seen her desiring in her little burst of erotic fantasy.

Her hands tangled in his hair and she moaned into his mouth as he worked his fingers over her sensitive peak, finding it easily even with the padded protection of the pink satin bra.

She felt so good, her skin was silky, warm, and he'd gotten a touch beneath her heavy breast but wanted more.

He felt her legs wrap around him, pulling him more firmly down on top of her and settling his hips between her thighs, when she raised herself, rubbed her center against his he groaned.

He could feel the heat pooling at her center though his jeans, and his hand left her breast, the other supporting him, keeping him steady above her while they continued their deep, hungry kissing because Lucy wasn't anywhere near what she wanted of that yet.

His hand slid right down her body and up her thigh under her skirt and Lucy's loud moan when his fingers reached her center and slid right up between her satin covered folds was drowned by his mouth.

Cobra's mind was hazy, lost in a sea of poisoned high and Lucys thickening arousal mixed with his own deepening need. He wasn't one to wait, wasn't one to seek assurances, he knew she wanted this, her mind was going wild pouring erotic desires into his head like some porn movie. The images, her soul just singing, his own lost contentedly in it, all of the pleasure and perfection of it.

She was all but devouring his mouth while he slid his fingers under the little bit of satin and teased her womanhood, delighting in how wet she was, how much she wanted him. She was thrusting up against him, pushing into his touch, her soul begging for more, showing him just how much more it really wanted.

"F..fuck…Tink.." He groaned when her hand was suddenly moving over his jean covered erection, he hadn't even noticed her removing it from his hair he was so absorbed in what he was doing to her.

He still had enough presence of mind to prevent her from undoing his jeans, no, not yet, not that at least…but he sure as hell was going to make her happy, she wanted a better taste of him? Of what he could do? He was giving it to her.

Now, while the cyanide was still making his body pulse with energy and keeping his caution at bay.

He slid a finger into her, started working her harder and she arched her back, tongue plunging wildly into his mouth, hand grasping for him and he avoided it, letting it grab onto his hip, almost smiling when it slid to his ass. That was fine, that wouldn't distract him and eat at his control like the other.

Lucy was out of her mind with pleasure, the taste of the apple lollipop, the sugar from the seeds, his hands, his lips of God did she love his lips. When her hand closed on his ass she dug her fingers in, she'd been wanting to squeeze the hell out of his ass for weeks, sexy damn thing in those tight black pants had been driving her crazy.

His fingers were working her so hard she could barely breath, two plunging in and out of her while his thumb made circles and pressed into her bundle of nerves and he was relentless, finding soft spots inside her and circling them, pushing into them mercilessly until finally she arched her back, her whole body going tense in his arms, pressing up into him as she screamed her release into his mouth.

She fell back on the bench, spasming through the waves of pleasure and he slowed his movements, their kiss softening, becoming light until he finally pulled back, smiling down at her wickedly,

"Wow…" Lucy breathed, earning herself a light kiss. "You are pretty incredible Tinkerbell." He said in an amused tone. She smiled up at him "That wasn't my doing…I was ravaged." She breathed.

He laughed and her heart clenched in her chest, delight filling her eyes, God she loved hearing that.

"It was your thought, your little erotic idea Tink, I just went along with it…very willingly." He smirked the train jolted, and he withdrew suddenly from her, making her frown as he slid away, sliding the strawberry lollipop he'd held in his hand that he was bracing himself with, into her mouth.

"Don't give me that disappointed look, we're less than 20 minutes from Crocus now, we've gotta get ready to switch trains." He chuckled. Putting the jar of apple seeds into the bag with his candy and then, without asking, putting that into Lucys tote for her to carry.

"No…we can't be…it hasn't been…" She touch herologiums key and frowned, he was right, holy shit, they'd been making out for hours, no wonder her lips felt so swollen and bruised…she blushed, realizing she felt pretty damn sated at the moment too, holy hell if he could do that to her with most of their clothes still on…

"It isn't even a drop in the bucket of what I'm capable of Tinkerbell." He said, reminding her he could hear her.

She blushed more just as the speakers crackled announcing they were 15 minutes from Crocus.

She righted her clothes, frowning when all it took for him to look ready for a fucking magazine spread was running his long fingers through his hair a couple of times.

They made their transfer, this time getting a sleeper compartment because it was near 1 am and this leg of their journey would take over 12 hours.

She was a little wary about sharing with Cobra, anymore it wasn't just about him controlling himself, she was just as bad, and admitted to herself she wanted him…badly now.

But to her surprise he didn't make a single move toward her, though he insisted he take the fold out close to the door. "If anyone barges in, I fully intend to poison them until they don't remember they're fucking potty training anymore. You take the bed by the window." He'd insisted, and without another word, settled himself and seemed to be asleep in fairly short order.

Lucy was left confused, but grateful at the same time, who knew how much rest they would get once they started their work?


	7. Chapter 7 Akane team

Levy was chewing her lower lip, a finger idly twirling a strand of her hair around it while she tore through the book in front of her. Gajeel was sitting across from her, one leg propped up on the seat, head tilted back against the window, trying to just rest through the misery that was train travel.

At least they didn't have a terribly long trip to get to their starting point. He couldn't complain about their cover either, cracking an eye a bit to catch the rings on Levys finger and pushing his thumb against the thick band on his own.

Newlyweds, Honeymooning at Akane Beach. They had no less than 11 meet ups to handle in the area with various people all arranged by Hidden Hope. Each one was expecting to meet a couple and they had to maintain a cover so that while they roamed the area they wouldn't look out of place or suspicious. LOTS of couples honeymooned there.

Gajeel wasn't as worried about this work as he had been the work in the club. They could behave pretty naturally, just more affectionate and he could handle that. He could touch her, hug her and it was all just cover enhancement.

He still wasn't sure what to make of everything they were involved in. Magic enhancement Lacrimas had been outlawed by the council about 10 years ago. They had been deemed unsafe and their creation process was steeped in controversy and so many rumors it was impossible to sort through it all. He knew of the Dragon Slayers, Cobra and Laxus were second gen, Ryos and Sting were third. He'd heard Natsu and even the old man talking as if the lacrima enhanced slayers were somehow lesser than the first generation like Wendy, Natsu and himself.

He knew better. Laxus was a fucking monster, insanely powerful and someone Gajeel wouldn't want to take on if her had a choice. Cobra honestly wasn't someone he would want to fight either. According to Natsu every time he'd seen Cobra beaten it was obvious the mans heart wasn't in the fight so they hadn't really seen him go all out and even half heartedly fighting, he'd nearly killed Natsu.

Ryos and Sting were stong too, though Gajeel knew they just weren't devoted to hard training, neither one of them, so they both lacked in technique and power because they were…well…lazy, especially Sting.

Dragon Lacrima were said to contain a piece of a dragons soul. If he didn't know Bickslow, he would have scoffed at the idea that a soul could be torn and a piece removed.

But Seith magic was illegal, the Seith mages had been all but wiped out. According to Bix he was the only Seith other than one he knew in Bosco and that man kept his head down like Bickslow did. So how would one create a Dragon Lacrima in the first place?

There were no more dragons, or at least if there were any they were scarce and illusive. Taking a piece of a Dragons soul wouldn't be easy, not like the dragon would cooperate.

Gajeel had seen Bickslow use his magic to get information from people in many ways now, and the most bone chilling had been when Bickslow had inflicted pain. He had caused pain on a soul, there was no defense for that, no way to block any of it or get past it. Bickslow had barely seamed to exert himself doing it too. It had left Gajeel with an understanding of why the magic was illegal now.

He figured, if it came to it, he could probably take the Seith down, but he'd fight blind with his eyes shielded, and Bickslow was agile, fast and had plenty of powerful attacks other than just what he could do with his figure eyes.

It would be an ugly fight, one he knew, if he didn't know the Seith, hadn't watching him fight and train, there was no way he could beat him.

So if there were no Seiths, how would the Council produce these Lacrimas? What process was involved with the other ones, where did the magic within them, true seed magic, the kind developed in a soul, born there, where did it come from? How did they get it into a Lacrima?

It was all too much. The country was in such a state of unrest, the Council was spread so thin anymore it was amazing they had bothered to send someone to investigate the owner of the club in the first place.

It made him uneasy. He had a bad feeling about it all, that something more than basic corruption was happening and that it was going to get a lot worse in the near future.

Bickslows adoptive father and oldest brother were both Ambassadors for Bosco and both had recently let Makarov know that if anything happened, politically, and Fairy Tail and its members needed help, refuge, that he was to let them know.

Why would two men, both in powerful political positions, suddenly be telling their family and his guild something like that?

The atmosphere in Fiore had been tense since Tartaros, the people had no confidence and the surrounding countries were pretty much done watching Fiore provide the stage for world endangering events. Seven had stopped all negotiations a few months ago and he wasn't envying Cana and Gray their region.

"Gajeel?" He opened his eyes, grimacing when the car rocked a little harder for a minute.

Levy was looking at him intently and held out the list she'd been translating. "I finished this one…Gajeel, there's a Dragon Lacrima in the list, and one for something called "Soul Eater" Magic. He frowned, tamping down his nausea so he could focus on the sheet of paper in his hand.

"Replicant Draconian" was indeed on the list. "Laxus found one for Replicant Dragon magic, so that one's been recovered." He said quietly. Levy frowned, rising and coming over to him, leaning in to point at the sheet she had translated from.

"This symbol next to the Dragon lacrima name means there is more than one, two at least of them were produced." She said softly.

Gajeel heaved a sigh, that wasn't good news. "So another one is floating around."

Levy nodded and the speakers crackled announcing they were coming into Akane Beach.

Gajeel smirked slightly, looking up into her wide hazel eyes. "Ready?" His look unnerved Levy a little, but she smiled, nodding. "Yes of course! We're supposed to just get settled tonight then first meeting at 7am on the beach. " She replied brightly.

"Ok then." Gajeel stood towering over her as usual, pulled their bags down from the overhead and nodded for her to lead the way. The trains final shudder as it stopped made his gut roll painfully but he grit his teeth and ignored it. Once his feet were on solid ground again he'd be fine within a few minutes.

He certainly couldn't complain about the view, Levys long legs and rounded rear were two features nobody would have expected on such a tiny woman, but he'd noticed them long ago, sitting in the guild in his corner he'd missed little, watched the guild closely, every member.

As he'd done in Phantom at first it had been a self-preservation habit, he knew it was best to know everyone in the guild, observe them when they were at their ease not trying to hide anything.

He could pick out quirks, nervous habits, things that let him know who liked and hated each other, where secret alliances were. In Phantom that had been crucial for survival, in Fairy Tail, his observations had become more for amusement once he'd realized Fairy Tail wasn't a place where everyone was out to wreck each other to garner favor with the master.

After more time, they had become his window to seeing the people in the guild that made him feel…comfortable. His dragon had used it all to determine the woman it wanted and for reasons beyond Gajeels understanding, that part of him had started wanting Levy early on.

Gajeel himself was lethal, deadly, observant, silent and predatory. His shadow magic fed on the powerful darkness inside him and fit him as perfectly as the iron of his will and body. In Fairy Tail he'd learned that darkness wasn't evil, he wasn't evil, darkness could be as simple as a lack of light, the fear it caused was ignorance he could use to increase the power of it.

Evil hid in shadow, but he didn't fear it anymore, had come to terms with that part of himself when he'd reached into his second origin and found if he didn't start embracing what he was it would consume him.

Levy didn't know it but her light in his life had given him the ability to do that, watching her not just accept him but deal with her fears of him and overcome them necause she was determined to get to know him, to walk into the dark eyes open and instead of cower from it, let her eyes adjust so she could take it all in.

Levy seemed to find things in him he hadn't known he had, and he had discovered more about himself through her. Driven to be the man she seemed to see.

He'd been born for no heart but hers, he didn't doubt that anymore. Accepting that had been difficult too, she was so tiny, so physically the opposite of him he'd been at first repelled by the idea as his dragon had pushed it harder and harder onto him until he'd finally realized the idea of the mating was to merge strength that mad both people better, made them complete.

He grossly lacked the softness, the ability to accept an idea was as strong as a sword, could be stronger, Levys greatest strengths were his greatest weaknesses. Levy lacked confidence, lacked physical strength and lacked the fire in her to step up to any threat and take it on, all things Gajeel had in immense abundance.

Levy feared violence, Gajeel enjoyed it. Levy could see things Gajeel would walk past because they weren't important for what he was doing at the moment, the ability to enjoy simple things for their beauty and comfort. He'd never known that until Levy.

So she could walk right into the fire of hell and he'd be right by her side without question or hesitation at this point.

He smiled faintly as they walked toward the resort, hardly the gates of hell. However, if she kept acting like she was their mission would end before it began.

He caught her shoulder, pulling her to the side. "Shrimp, you have to get into your role, you can't be walking along a distance away from me and ignoring me like you usually do, that's not how newlyweds act. You need to keep in mind we're working under covers, you can not act like you usually do. A woman who even likes a guy doesn't act like you usually do around me." He chuckled.

It wasn't meant to be hurtful or insulting. He knew how Levy was and had never been one to need physical nearness or affection much, he got she was shy, his nose told him Levys true feelings even when her actions said otherwise, but right now, she couldn't be playing the distant ice queen buried in her books and thoughts pretending to ignore him and forget he was there.

She'd ruin their covers if she did that.

He'd done work requiring the lovey dovey shit before, he'd worked a couple of those with Juvia in Phantom. Of course he wasn't ever interested in Juvia like he was with Levy but he could contain himself, the work at the club had given him some strong confidence in that because holy hell had his self-control been tested there where Levy was concerned.

He'd also observed it enough to know even less affectionate couples didn't walk far away from each other ignoring each other.

Levy bit her lip looking up at Gajeel. He didn't look mad, upset or anything close to that, he was calm, had a warm patience in his expression she'd seen more and more of the last few months when he'd looked at her.

It sort of stung though, the "a woman who even likes a guy doesn't act like you usually do around me." Did she really act that cold? She tried not to let herself look at him, because often when she did she had these racey blood heating ideas pop into her head.

The man was built, a lifetime in combat had made his body a weapon, and seriously gorgeous. So if she looked at him, she thought about that body, about the kiss they'd shared the first night at the club. It flustered her, left her confused and flooded with feelings and sensations she wasn't used to.

To keep her thoughts clear and on task, she tended to keep a little distance from Gajeel when they were on missions and even at the guild so she could get things done. When she didn't adhere to that she tended to just stare like a fool at the Iron Slayer and that certainly didn't get things done.

"I…I'm sorry, I didn't realize…" She blushed, he was right, a newly wed couple wouldn't be trying to stay away from each other and certainly if Gajeel were her husband, she would not be keeping her distance and avoiding looking at him.

"Come on shrimp, I know we've only been out a couple of times but we can have fun with this, don't be afraid of me or worry about it. I'm not good at these kinds of things, I need you to take the lead and I'll follow, you were getting pretty good at it at the club, just now, instead of us being just lovers we're at the next level, right?" He was smiling down at her and Levy returned it.

"You're right, I can do it. If I go too far though…" She frowned and Gajeel actually laughed.

"You can't go too far shrimp, we're married, I'm yours you're mine, people who belong to each other set their own limits." He told her.

She smiled "Ok, lets get to the resort, I'm starving and we need to get settled in our room and check in."

Gajeel started back toward the resort and this time Levy was next to him instead of 20 feet or so ahead of him, she grasped his hand too, and he smiled at the gesture. He'd meant what he'd said. He'd let her set the pace here and only push things if he had to. The more natural it all looked the better.

They checked in and went up to the honeymoon suite booked for them by their employer, their home base for the next three weeks.

Gajeel set their bags down and pulled out the com lacrima they had been given. He sent the confirmation code acknowledging their arrival and readiness to work and put the object back in his pocket.

They wouldn't be doing verbal check ins until tomarrow since the central team was in transit to their base at the moment.

"Ok shri…" He was turning to ask Levy where she wanted to go to eat but she was right there, standing on her suitcase when he turned and her fingers caught his face, pulling him to her and kissing him. His reaction was instant, he wasn't prepared so couldn't prevent it. Growling low in his throat and wrapping his arms around her immediately. Weeks he'd been restraining himself, hell even the night she'd jumped on him he'd been on guard when he'd opened the door. He had nothing but his raw want of her reacting to her for the first moments.

He kissed her back, and she made a soft sound as his tongue invaded her mouth, her hands sliding into his hair. "Ga..Gajeel." She breathed and he let her pull back, he didn't want to, he wanted to carry her over to the oversized bed and finally make her his, but she set the pace, he followed. It was what it had to be for her sake. He was beyond worrying about his own needs, his were too simple, her, as his mate. Levy was the one that was the complex piece of the puzzle.

He held himself in check, but couldn't stop the burning want he knew was in his gaze, he didn't bother hiding that from her anymore, there wasn't a point.

"Just getting myself into the right frame of mind for our cover." She smiled at him, blushing but her eyes dancing with determined wickedness that sent a little thrill through him.

"Yeah? I like your methods." He said she stepped off her suitcase. Not sure where she had found the courage to do that, but knowing had they not spent three weeks of frequently being all over one another for the club she never would have.

He'd said he wanted to wait to resume what they had started before this mission until it was over, that he didn't want to become a stress release for her, well, she was going to go ahead and override his decision.

She'd decided this job was the perfect opportunity for her to get past all of her shyness with him and while she meant to put all she had into seeing the job done flawlessly.

"If we go down to eat we're going to have to be pretty…lovey dovey Gajeel." Levy smiled at him, almost challenging him.

"And?" He returned, if she thought the prospect of necking with her in public was a deterrent for him he was going to surprise her.

"You sure you can handle it?" She asked "I mean we could order room service, hide up here and just have a quiet easy night."

"I'm not worried." He replied, smirking down at her and enjoying the blush that pinked her cheeks. She was so beautiful when she blushed.

"Ok then." She headed for the door and Gajeel followed her, as soon as they were in the hall she took his arm and was right up against him as they went to the elevator.

He leaned down and nuzzled her neck when they found they weren't alone and she giggled when he did but leaned into him and left the elevator that way, Levy laughing and slipping from Gajeels grasp, the soft growl that came from him surprised even him when she danced a few feet ahead of him, backing away smiling.

"Careful shorty, acting like prey aint smart around me." He warned with a smile. Levy was tempted to dash ahead and make him chase her, triggering his predatory instincts wasn't something she wanted to contend with right then, but she made a mental note to try it later, too intrigued to waste information like that.

"You don't scare me." She told him, letting him catch up to her but dodging his attempt to get an arm around her, she saw how the hotel staff were smiling at them. Play was working fine.

"I should." Gajeel responded, she stuck her tongue out at him as they reached the hotels main restaurant. Insisting on a booth instead of a table she giggled more when Gajeel pulled her to the back curve of the padded bench, dissolving into laughing when his touches turned ticklish.

"Not at the table! Truce!" She pleaded and he relented, letting her settle and catch her breath.

The whole meal had to be one of the best times Levy had ever had. She'd been so worried about this she'd practically shut down on the train, barely spoke two words to Gajeel and then had given him the cold shoulder unintentionally, once they were off the train.

He could claim his behavior was for their cover, and it definitely fit it, but she could feel and see how at ease he was with it, how much he was enjoying it just like she was.

When they returned to the room Gajeel closed and locked the door behind him chuckling.

"Well I don't think they'll be doubting us much."

Levy smiled at him, "Told you I could handle it." She smiled and went into the bedroom. One bed. Of course, it was a honeymoon suite, the oversized bed could have comfortably slept six people though so she decided she wouldn't worry about that.

Everything about their suite was opulence designed to help a couple enjoy themselves. They had a gorgeous private balcony that overlooked the beach. She pulled her pajamas out, opting for a soft baby blue camisole and cotton blue shorts to match.

Seeing Gajeel out on the balcony she changed and pulled the curtain aside the bedrooms access door to the balcony, sliding it open and smiling as the warm ocean breeze blew over her.

He was leaning on the railing, just looking out over the water looking thoughtful. He looked so good in the dress slacks, white button down dress shirt and vest from the three piece he'd had to wear. They were supposed to look like they had just come from their wedding reception.

His long hair was being pushed by the breeze, seeing the moonlight moving over the black locks made her want to run her fingers through them. It had always amazed her how he maintained that thick mane of hair, that he had the patience for it.

Her own unruly locks got to her sometimes and she cut them down short in annoyance then become annoyed she didn't have enough for a good pony tail and her headbands would slide back because they didn't have enough hair to give them strong purchase. So she would grow it back out and the cycle would repeat.

He made her heart ache, her body, had since she had first seen him, when he'd been standing before her and her team about to beat them bloody and bolt them to a tree, she'd been stricken then by him, then, when the protective shield of cruelty he'd adopted in Phantom Lord had fallen away, more than just her body had wanted him.

He wanted to wait until the mission was over to work on their relationship, she frowned, eyes traveling from that flowing raven hair down over his tall body, long legs, powerful thighs straining the material of the tailored slacks, his arms doing the same to the shirt, he was mouthwatering and she wasn't waiting however long this mission was going to last for them to progress.

"I don't want to wait Gajeel." She said firmly. He turned his head, clearly not surprised by her presence behind him, he'd heard her come out.

"What are you talking about shorty?" He asked, not moving from his spot leaning on the rail but keeping those dark eyes on her.

"For us, you said back in Hargeon you wanted to put us on hold until this mission was done…I don't want to do that." She told him. He turned then, pushing off the railing to face her.

"Levy…" He started and she shook her head "No, Gajeel, we don't know how long this mission is going to take or what's going to happen, everything is so…uncertain right now. I don't want to wait, I don't want to hold back and wonder and worry about what might happen. If you and I…if we are going to be together, boyfriend girlfriend, or work toward more than that even, I want to and I don't want to wait." She was proud her voice sounded so firm and stable because inside she was a riot of nerves.

What if he said they were done then? Ended them before they began for the sake of keeping the mission easier. She wasn't good at reading people, especially not Gajeel, but she hoped what she'd felt, especially that night in Hargeon, had been all she'd felt it was.

"Ok."

She blinked, eyes searching his face and finding little with the shadows playing over him, the moon behind him, his hair helping to cast them.

"You…you're willing to.." she stammered a little, not even sure exactly what they were agreeing to.

"You label everything shorty, part of the library obsession you've got, you want to label us and keep going, I like the idea, we're not in that God awful club anymore. What we're doing now? Playing this cover while we're gathering information and items? Hell it's practically the best string of dates I could think of anyway." He chuckled his odd little laugh that she loved so much.

He reached a hand out to her and she took it, gladly being pulled into his arms. "So that makes us…official?" She asked, he laughed now and she thrilled at the sound, her hands grasping the open edges of the vest he still had on over the dress shirt.

"I suppose, so now, I'm your husband for the mission, and your boyfriend in real life. Could get confusing." He said.

"Which is why the labels matter! Keeps everything organized." Levy said brightly, nodding her head at the wisdom of it, he could mock her need for organization all he wanted, there were methods to her madness and they worked.

"Anything you say shrimp." He was still chuckling, and she was enjoying his good mood, the light happy feeling between them.

"Then I say we watch a movie, I'm not sleepy yet." She declared. She'd seen the massive flat lacrima screen in the sitting area of their suite, she liked the idea of curling up on that big couch with him.

"Sounds good, go pick out a movie, I'm gonna get out of this get up." He released her and she slipped through the doorway to the sitting area while he went through the one she'd left open to the bedroom.

A few minutes later he was joining her in a black tank top and sleep shorts that came down mid-thigh on him. Levy almost dropped the remote. The tank was skin tight and she doubted he had anything under those shorts.

He smirked as her eyes moved over him, fingers lax on the remote. He'd been fortunate, when she'd stepped out in that sexy little cami and shorts he'd had shadows hiding his reaction, he had to admit, he loved that his body affected her. He didn't keep fit and work out and train like he did for that reason, but it was a very happy side effect. He wanted her to want him, because he sure as hell wanted her.

"You're staring shrimp." He sat on the end of the couch, turning and propping a long leg up against the back of it before reaching for her and pulling her blushing and somewhat flustered, up to lay against his chest, pulling the remote from her fingers to start the movie while she battled with embarrassment.

He didn't tease her further, one jab was enough. She may say she wasn't sleepy but neither of them had slept the night before, too eager to leave Hargeon and while he'd gotten in a brief nap before the meeting, he was running on willpower and he was sure she was too.

"I…stupid Gajeel…" she mumbled and he just smirked, hugging her against him before they both focused on the movie.

Whatever she had picked he couldn't focus on, he was too tired, too much had been happening, and her declaration that she wanted them to keep going, to work on their relationship, be officially a couple, he was too happy about it all.

She was right, their whole country was uncertain right now, all of Earthland was, so waiting did seem foolish, he'd just known that there in the club, if he'd given in and they'd had sex that night like he was sure she'd wanted to, it would have hurt their relationship, not helped it.

Now though, things were different, their cover worked differently though they had the same names. Levy was still "Lainy" easy to remember since it was so close to her real name, and he was still "Dark". Cover was simple, he and Lainy had left Taffys employment and gotten married. So they had given him a surname "Drexlar" and he and Levy were now Mr and Mrs Drexlar for this phase of the mission.

Honeymooning for three weeks in Akane Beach, like so many couples did they wouldn't stand out. It was why Lucy and Cobras cover was the same, Rosegarden was also a massively popular honeymoon and wedding location, and for Cana and Bickslow, Laxus had changed that assignment last minute because they had decided they needed a couple in Crocus and Evergreen couldn't be "married" to Bickslow because the Seith couldn't hope to keep from teasing her and she would have the man turned to stone daily, no hope of maintaining a cover together. So Bickslow had gone with Cana and Gray was with Evergreen. All under covers that fit the areas they were going to perfectly.

So since they were no longer under the heavy strain of working in a crowded nightclub/pleasure house anymore, he felt fine relaxing into being with Levy, letting their relationship take up again without restraint.

He smiled faintly, feeling her breathing had gotten deeper, slower. He gathered her up and carried her to the bedroom, sliding her under the blankets before going and shutting everything off and sliding into the bed beside her.

His heart clenched in his chest as she pressed into him in her sleep, small hand grasping his shirt as she snuggled into him, using his shoulder as a pillow. She fit so perfectly against him, his exhaustion wouldn't let him spend much time enjoying it though, pulling him to sleep.


	8. Chapter 8 The death of a Dragon

A/N Trying to keep the chapters reasonable in length. I'm also working with Cobra, who is a favorite of mine, I'm trying to do him justice, hope everyone likes it so far, come forth and meet a couple of our villains...DESNA

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

The ground shook, shuddered, stirred by the power of the creature bucking in fury that was large enough to cause such a thing. While it was larger than a 4 story building by a good bit, it was clear the frail woman at its shoulder whos eyes were glowing a brilliant green had control of it, a green sheen over its turquois eyes.

Behind her a man stood, his long fingers curled around the back of the womans head, a cold smile faintly curling his lips. He was handsome, tall, with Black hair cut in a conservative but fashionable style and emerald colored eyes that shined as he controlled the woman controlling the massive creature.

"It's near death, if you take more you'll kill it." Another man, a few feet to the side, was watching with a bored expression, his lab coat showed neglect, dirty in places, dried blood and such that had probably been there for weeks displaying his lack of interest in maintaining it.

"It's not like we can release it anyway, if we do it will just attack the facility as soon as it recovers." The man holding the frail woman said coldly.

The bored one yawned "Yeah, well, you're gonna kill her too, she's running on fumes and it's not like we've got another Seith mage laying around to replace her."

"Shut up Dain, set up another lacrima right next to the first one and hurry up." The handsome man snapped.

"Naryev, you're an asshole." Dain sighed, turning to a case a few feet away and pulling out a glittering orb. He prepped another stand similar to the one currently being fed from the massive beast writhing beneath chains thicker than Dains body.

Once he had it done he moved it over beside the first and fixed the lacrima in place before returning to his spot draped over an office chair watching with bored eyes.

The life started to fade from the great beast before them. Many people, probably hundreds if not thousands across Earthland would mourn if they could see this. There were those that would stop at nothing to kill the two men and the woman they were using for what they had done and were doing.

Cold colorless lights caught the silvery scales of tha massive creature that was hundreds if not thousands of years old, until the last pull it had even been speaking to them, not kindly, but it had been speaking, intelligently too, Dain had enjoyed talking with it, with him.

His name was Elgo, The last Ice dragon, captured in the mountains of Icenburg and smuggled into Fiore using some hefty resources of the Council to get him to ERA and down into the sunken bunker far below the city.

Elgo had been chained in that chamber for the last 11 years, every part of him cut into, studied, until finally his very soul had been cut, sliced into pieces by the Seith mage Naryev now controlled because she had refused to cut away more of the dragon, refused to kill him.

He was no different than the massive corpse on the other side of the chamber that was being slowly reduced to nothingness, all of it's blood pumped up, magic sucked away, scales, claws, teeth, everything was being sliced up for use in other things, no part of the Replicant dragon once known as Buriena, who had flied from the Eclipse gate and caused so many deaths, none of her would be left when they were done with her.

The last of her soul had been broken down into a lacrima a few days ago. The Seith mage man who had been working for them had died doing it, dragon souls were a battle few could take on and live to tell the tail.

Dain wasn't wrong, Shina was the last Seith mage known to exist in Fiore, but Naryev had a plan to change that.

As the light of life left Elgo and the great creature breathed its last the Lacrima beside Shina took on the frosted sheen of the last piece of Elgos soul. Naryev turned immediately, the woman in his grasp spasming horribly as he clamped his other hand over her forehead and fixed his eyes on the second Lacrima.

Dain lifted his head, interest sparking in his dark eyes and a slight smile curving his mouth as he watches Shina shudder and start shrieking in agony. He skin turned grey, red and black veins coming to the surface around her wide open green glowing eyes, slowly the light faded and her screams died down to weak whimpers until she finally went limp in Naryevs hands and her eyes became dull and lifeless before he released her, letting her scrawny body fall to the floor as the Lacrima before him took on a green and gold swirling light.

Naryev grinned at Dain "We'll make our own fucking Seith, put this into someone stronger with fewer moral hang ups." He snickered, tossing the lacrima to Dain who laughed, placing the lacrima into a small case and clipping it shut, writing on its label then doing the same for the first one.

"You're cold as fuck Naryev, but I gotta admit, that's brilliant." Dain grinned.

Naryev smiled "We'll just pass the magic from one body to the next that way, so if we use up the will and mental stability of one puppet, we just transfer the powers to another using the lacrima. How many is that for today?" He asked. Dain glanced down at his clipboard. "5, busy fucking day." He commented.

Naryev nodded "Productive my friend, these lacrima will provide the Council a supply of powerful loyal wizards for their ranks that we desperately need. Since the moronic King made drafting mages impossible, this way our forces won't have to be without power the enemy will likely employ. One implant surgery, a couple weeks training and regular already inducted soldiers become powerful mages."

Dain snorted "Your patriotism is showing Naryev." He snorted.

Naryev made a face "Is it? Oh Gods I'll have to have that looked at. Too many times selling this to the powers that be, I've sold it to myself. Tch" He turned, push the button on a com "The Ice dragon is ready for resource harvesting and please send someone to collect the husk left from another donor." He said into the com.

"Right away sir." Came the reply.

Naryev led Dain from the chamber, not even looking back as the two discussed where to go for dinner.

Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

There were things in life that would pop up and surprise the hell out of Lucy. Random unexpected things, happenings that were amazing to her on every level. Finding out Natsu was "Salamander" discovering Canas list of men in the guild she had sexual encounters with broken down into "Kissed with or without tongue, blowjob, went down on me, and fucked." The list had stunned the hell out of Lucy, especially since most of the men in the guild were on it somewhere.

Many in more than one category.

Even Natsu who Lucy had honestly still believed until then to be one of the most innocent people she'd ever met.

Yeah, Cana had experienced a few things with the Fire Dragon Slayer.

Nowhere on her list though, Gajeel (Though she had notes on how badly she wanted to try certain things with the Iron Dragon Slayer that it was good Levy didn't know anything about that list.) Cobra, Droy, Jet and Max. Pretty much every other man in the guild made an appearance somewhere in her list.

Yeah that had been a hell of a shocking thing to discover.

All of her shocks though ranked a step under watching Cobra walk into the gardens at the Temple of Venus west of Rosegarden.

The man loved flowers. It shouldn't have been surprising when she watched him, he was a Poison Dragon Slayer, many of the flowers in the gardens were gorgeous but also toxic and he pointed them out to her, told her how they tasted, even told her when she asked what each one did for him if he ingested them.

"Belladonna, Nightshade, Oleander. All of them taste a little sweet, Belladona and Nightshade are relaxing, Oleander gives me a little high, like cyanide." He admitted.

At least he was talking with her again. He'd sort of withdrawn on the train, it was strange, they went from him giving her one of the best orgasms in her life, kissing her until she was about ruined for any man now because sweet Mavis Vermillion could the man kiss and he tasted incredible, sweet like candy a little minty.

Lucy was hungry for more, she'd come to terms with the fact she wanted him. She just couldn't figure out why after they had gotten so deliciously intimate on the train to Crocus, why he'd kept his distance and been mostly quiet with only a few sarcastic comments that for him weren't very venomous here and there.

So that he was talking with her again was a good thing, especially since they were undercover as newlyweds. Maybe that was why he'd started talking to her again, they had to be cuddly and affectionate with each other for their cover.

She'd pointed out a few other couples at the resort they were staying at and he'd watching them scoffing and sneering but as he pointed out the Oleander flowers he did so standing behind her with an arm around her, her pulled back against him.

"Dumb ass way to move around, you're lucky I'm agile Tinkerbell, I bet a lot of those women go home with mangled feet from getting stepped on these idiots are so under each others feet." He snorted a few minutes later.

She handed him an Oleander flower he'd given her a little while ago "Eat this and stop being so bitchy." She smiled, grinning when he did exactly what she said.

Cobra was a little out of his depth. Scarfing down the apple seeds on the train had sent him into an unreserved high, the kind he wasn't terribly good at managing when they happened. It was like getting very very drunk but without the memory loss or hangover, just feeling insanely good and losing inhibitions.

Inhibitions that normally would have kept him from finger fucking Lucy into an orgasm while he kissed her senseless. Because that was so far out of his plans for easing her into his bed it was ridiculous.

She'd shown she was certainly willing, and holy hell had he enjoyed doing it, but she wasn't ready for what he wanted and honestly, neither was he. So he'd rebuilt some distance, put the limits back into place.

Their cover sure as fuck didn't help him any, Lucy got a kick out of playing it up, calling him "Honey" and "Baby" until he was ready to strangle her, he wasn't a fucking baby, hated that little term of endearment with a passion because he found it a little sick and into the pedo territory if you thought someone you were fucking should be called "Baby".

Honey didn't annoy him as much, he rather liked bees, liked honey a lot, so it didn't bother him any worse than "Peter Pan" did.

He decidedly enjoyed kissing Lucy too, something she initiated a lot under the excuse of their cover calling for her to. He didn't mind that at all, he knew almost every time she did it had nothing to do with their cover.

It set off little alarms in his head though that when she touched him, slid her hand under his shirts to reach skin now and then, it never bothered him. Usually anyone touching him made his skin crawl, but when Lucy did it, he not only wasn't repulsed…he liked it…too much.

That concerned him.

Then there was her growing lack of fear where he was concerned, she wasn't shocked by the things he said, now she was responding with her own little sarcastic barbs as often as not and he'd caught himself laughing at them because fuck it, she was funny.

"I didn't see a description for this meet up, in fact, I didn't see one for any of them, how are we supposed to know who we're looking for?" She asked quietly leaning over the take a slow breath with her nose in a dark crimson rose.

She was so beautiful. She fit their surroundings, a Venus in her element. He shook the thought, angered by it, where the fuck were ideas like that coming from? Had to be the damn Oleander, that thing tasted ten times as good as it looked and he was already feeling the little rush from it, certainly not as heady as a hand full of apple seeds, but good none the less.

"My job, I can pick em out Tink, they're not gonna be all wrapped up in how good the roses smell wondering if different colors have different scents." He smirked at her and she narrowed her eyes at him, caught thinking exactly that.

"So then, oh ye with a talented nose, do they?" Lucy challenged. Tamping down the entirety of reading about roses and how to raise them once, about how some varieties would have varying scents, bred that way by the people who created them.

Raising roses was an art that was well refined in Rosegarden, the area was famed for their flowers.

"Of course they do, those almost black ones over there smell like cinnamon." Cobra replied, and then was a little taken aback by a strong memory of Lucys.

Her mother sitting with her in a garden their gardener standing while Layla handed Lucy a deep pink rose with silvery edges to its petals. "Heber bred these just for you, he and I have been working on them since you were born, the Lucillia Rose, Heber will be entering them in competition this year." Layla told her with a smile.

Lucy had taken the rose with a huge grin "Really! A flower named after me?! Do you think you'll win Heber?" She asked excitedly. The gardener had grinned "The Lucky Lucillia won at the regional competition a couple months ago, I'll be taking it to Crocus for all of Fiore to view, I'm betting she'll win." He'd sounded so certain.

He'd been right too, the Lucky Lucillia had won as the finest rose at Crocus that year, the gardener had become acclaimed for its creation, but he had remained with the Heartfillias, even when the Royal gardens themselves and those in Rosegarden had offered him positions.

It was a happy memory for Lucy. Like every one related to her mother and family though that he had encountered, it had a bittersweet edge to it.

Cobra kept his face blank, he was getting too wrapped up in all of Lucys sweet, lovey dovey nonsense. The woman just brimmed with the shit, she hadn't had the hellish childhood he had, but hers hadn't been a cake walk, yet in spite of being shown over and over how shitty life could be, she seemed bent on always looking for the bright spots.

She was heading to the flower Cobra had pointed out when he stilled. He'd been actively sifting through the chatter from all of the people in the area, trying to block off those he wasn't concerned with when he caught the one they were here for.

Glancing over he saw the man, carrying a small satchel and studying roses while glancing toward the gazebos placed randomly around the section for people to sit and relax in. They were supposed to be in one.

He reached out and caught Lucys hand, pulling her with him and when she started to protest he spun, pulling her into his chest and kissing her "Our contact is here, we need to get to the gazebo so he'll see us." He whispered against her lips.

Lucy nodded dazed, even his rough brief kisses shorted out her thinking.

They stepped into the gazebo taking a seat and Lucy sat in Cobra lap, arm around him, hands pushing into his hair to tilt his head back so she could kiss him.

They were supposed to be the newlywed relatives of one of their employers, that was the story given to this contact, he'd been told to find them here and that they would wait for him in a Gazebo.

They were supposed to be oblivious to what was going on, blissful hopelessly in love young couple just meeting a relatives' business contact to pick up something for their family member.

So Lucy was the adoring new wife, and Cobra was her new husband. He figured lust worked fine, most people mistook it for love easily enough, so he wasn't concerned. Lucys soft expression though before she kissed him almost alarmed him, way too much affection in her expression for his comfort.

He listened as the man found them, observed how pretty Lucy was, decided Cobra was a lucky bastard and he certainly couldn't argue that, this detail they were on, this cover, was probably the wet dream of several of the men in Fairy Tail.

He had to work to remain focused on the man because Lucy was putting a lot into kissing him and it felt so good his thoughts kept wanting to switch over to focus on her and the delicious stream of dirty thoughts going through the blondes head.

 _Mmmm, oh God, how am I supposed to work like this, I love his lips, he always tastes and smells like fucking candy. I still haven't even seen him without a shirt on, God he was so good on the train…I want more, I've got to have more of him, I can feel it, HAH, he's getting excited, God it feels like it's gotta be huge too, I barely got a feel of it on the train_..

Yeah, Lucys thoughts were way too far gone for him to safely touch, and her being able to feel him getting hard underneath her wasn't a good thing, he usually had better control.

"Ahem."

 _Fuck! Fuck this mission, fuck what we need to do, fucking Fiore and it's piss poor diplomats and Fuck the Magic council for being so damn corrupted in the first place I've got a sexy man in my arms I want to fucking enjoy_!

Cobra managed to pull away, and not to laugh, turning to look at the man who had stepped into the gazebo with them and was sitting across from them.

"Are you Layla?" The man asked sheepishly. His discomfort at having interrupted them was a good thing, he was completely buying who they were.

"Yes, I'm Layla, are you Thomas?" She asked smiling.

 _She's a vision, no wonder Ester is so proud of her, and the young man is handsome in spite of missing an eye, shame I'm interrupting their honeymoon, still, I'm glad it could be handled like this, so far from normal channels and places for things like this. They can't open the case, Ester said Layla would know that but I'll have to remind them, I don't want such sweet young people, God look at her, she's so in love, so is he, yes I'm doing the right thing, this is what I'm protecting_ …

The mans thoughts were a bit surprising, Cobra noted it all though.

"Yes I am, your aunt is a close friend of mine, please give this to her, I'm so sorry to interrupt you, and please…don't open any of it, it's for Esters eyes only." He said firmly.

 _The case had to be trapped, if they open it the poison it will release without Esters touch could hurt them both badly_ ….

"Oh we won't Auntie already told me whatever this is, is super special to her and could hurt us if we messed with it, it's safe in the case thought right? If we drop it or something we'll be ok?" Lucys wide innocent eyes were flawless.

"Oh yes, just whatever you do, don't try to open it….it…it's booby trapped." He admitted with an apologetic look.

"Oh! Wow, well I really wouldn't mess with something that belongs to Auntie and Jax wouldn't either. We'll give it to her as soon as we get back." She vowed.

"Three weeks right?" Thomas asked. Lucy nodded and Thomas stood to leave, leaving the satchel on the bench beside Lucy. Lucy nodded at him. "Yes sir, we get home in three weeks.

He looked fondly at the couple, sadness and hope in his eyes. "Allright, congratulations, I wish you both every happiness." He said sincerely and walked from the gazebo, immense relief flooding through him to be free of what he had been carrying, certain nobody would think some sweet little newlywed couple would have something like that in their possession, that the Rune Knights would never suspect anything.

"Call Virgo, we can't walk out of here with that." Cobra said quietly. So far only a grounds attendant had noticed the man talking to them briefly and was hoping he wasn't some pervert who had disturbed them.

When the attendant saw Cobra nuzzling into Lucys neck and saw her smiling the man relaxed, grateful whatever had happened had not been a problem.

Lucy touched Virgos key and the maid appeared on the floor of the gazebo kneeling low. Lucys spirits always seemed to know what they were appearing into and Virgo was by far the most reliable in Cobras opinion, he seriously did hate fucking Gemini.

"Punishment Princess?" The maid always asked, was ever hopeful, masochistic being she was. Her lewd thoughts had shocked the hell out of Cobra the first time Lucy had called her near him, but he was used to them now.

The maid loved how sinister he seemed, and the barely leashed viciousness of his personality didn't escape her either, she found him appealing, liked him more than any of Lucys former boyfriends.

Cobra almost jolted when that thought crossed the maids consciousness. Wait…Boyfriend?! He was not anyones fucking boyfriend. Had never been, would never…

"No Virgo, take that satchel, be careful with it, the case inside is booby trapped, store it for me it's very important and Erik and I can't be seen with it." Lucy was telling the maid.

Wait..Erik? had he told her she could call him that?

She was getting too familiar, he had to figure out some way to nip that in the bud and regain his distance. One little finger fuck and some making out did not give her any rights or claims where he was concerned.

"May I help with anything else princess?" The spirit asked and the image of holding him down while Lucy had her way with him was vivid in the maids mind, almost easing the sudden discomfort Cobra was feeling with the humor of the idea.

"No that's all for now Virgo, thank you." Lucy replied. The maid bowed her head, pulled the satchel from the bench and vanished.

"Ok so that was the only one today, we have the rest of the day to ourselves." She said turning back to him, immediately her smile faltered when she saw his frown.

His mind was going quickly, he couldn't have this talk with her here, it would blow their cover to hell if they argued here. He had a feeling too this would be an argument.

"I vote for a nap, my heads hurting filtering out all the love and romance and other assorted bullshit the couples in here are dripping with." He said in his best nasty tone.

Lucy rolled her eyes "aww, is my honey feeling grouchy?" she teased.

"I'm not your fucking honey and I'm not grouchy. I just want a break from this shit." He snarled quietly.

Lucy sighed and slid from his lap to let him up reaching her hand out once he stood and rolling her eyes again when he looked at it like it might bite him.

"Relax snake boy, we need to still look like newlyweds until we get to the room so suck it up." She snapped.

The walked back to the room, the leisurely pace a necessity Cobra didn't appreciate. Lucys thoughts seemed to stick with the beauty of the gardens, curiosity about what they had just picked up and what had crawled up Cobras ass and died making his nasty side come to bear so fully.

"I didn't appreciate the maid thinking I'm your new boyfriend." He hissed quietly when they reached the room.

Lucy frowned. Virgo thought Cobra was her boyfriend? Oh she was going to have to have a talk with the Maid and soon to set her straight. She had no idea what might or might not be happening between her and Cobra but he sure as fuck wasn't her boyfriend.

Cobra almost relaxed until the next thought came.

Not that having his sexy ass as a boyfriend would be a bad thing.

"I'll set her straight. Is that what has you acting like a woman on her period?" She asked in an icy tone, her brown eyes, usually soft and warm, were fierce meeting his.

"I am not…shit, you know what? Fuck you Tinkerbell. I'm not anyones boyfriend, I never have been and have no intentions of ever becoming one for you or anyone else. I don't buy into that whole cluster fuck people call romance and love got it? This whole cover makes my skin crawl." He snarled at her.

Lucy wavered for a moment, were she the Lucy before Tenrou, before Tartaros, before losing Aquarius, losing everything for way the fuck too long and having to fight to get it all back again like she had maybe his nasty attack would have set her back, even hurt, but that wasn't who she was anymore.

"Oh you're not huh? Bullshit, you fucking liar, you've been as weak and indecisive as a fucking teenaged girl about me, about Fairy Tail, about getting your fucking life together. You talk a big game, never lie to anyone but yourself and I won't lie, I want you, I want to throw you on the bed rip your clothes off and fuck you till you can't breathe but I don't think you could handle me, see, I'm an adult, I'm not all whiny and worried about little details and personal boundries because I'm not a crybaby like YOU. You're nasty to keep people at a distance because you're fucking afraid Cobra, afraid of letting yourself feel anything real, anything deeper than animalistic mindless bullshit." She rounded on him with a fire in her gaze he'd never even imagined she possessed.

That she took him on was a heavy turn on, and the dragon inside him, a part of him he barely knew, made his lust and fury both surge up so he was furious and wanting her like hell both at the same time.

"You know, if you had the slightest clue about how people think or even paid attention to where your own fucking thoughts go I might give your opinion a moments thought, but I know better, you don't have the guts to act on any of your desires, your passions, you hold yourself back at every turn, second guess every fucking thing you do until half the time you're left standing staring like a scared rabbit while opportunities pass you by. I'm not afraid of anything, I know what I want and I say what I think when I think it and don't sugar coat anything." He sneered back "Funny how you mistake honesty for an attempt to keep people away."

Lucy narrowed her eyes "Yeah? Funny too you came back to that point, shows I hit a nerve."

"Bullshit, you don't know shit about me." He spat.

Lucy drew a breath, fury seething through her, she did NOT let things…ok maybe she did but so did he!

"I know you're so busy trying to protect your feelings a deal with feeling rejected, not good enough and unwanted you end up forcing people to live up to what you expect from them. With your abilities you could easily help them get over their concerns about you and have the easiest time handling people of anyone, but you chose to be this prickly nasty asshole 99% of the time." She snapped.

"I LIKE being nasty, I prefer people are afraid of me, they're easier to handle when they are." He returned.

"You're lying to yourself again, frightened people are irrational and you're sharp Cobra, smart as hell, irrational shit annoys the fuck out of you so you can't say you prefer it." She took a step toward him, angry and refusing to back down to him, determined he wasn't going to walk away thinking he'd convinced her he really was the half insane nasty asshole he tried to portray himself as.

"Frightened people are easy to manipulate, and I enjoy the fuck out of seeing horrified looks and fear from people." He said, taking his own step closer to her, she wasn't going to win this. If he had to spend the next three weeks kissing cardboard and sharing time with a hunk of pissed off ice he was fine with that, as long as she stopped trying to get close to him.

"Another lie, frightened people don't think rationally, and can't control their reactions, they are far from easy to manipulate, their reactions are as likely to turn on you as help you. Face it Cobra, you would be happier if you dropped some of the nasty and let people in a little. Friends are a good thing, look at you and Bickslow, hell, you and the whole Raijinshuu!" She said.

She had him there, he counted Bickslow a friend, a good one too, and he sincerely did enjoy being part of the Raijinshuu, Laxus was brilliant, decisive, cold and rational when it came to a job, Cobra enjoyed working with him, with all of the Raijinshuu, even fucking Evergreen who was turning him to stone almost as often as Bickslow on their recent missions before they had gotten involved in all of this.

"That's different, they're not trying to turn me into a boyfriend." He snapped, taking another angry step, Lucy stepped right up to him, glaring back at him defiantly.

"What fucked up psycho of a woman would want your sarcastic ass as a boyfriend?!" She snarled "You're crude, hostile, have a dark sense of humor and you're obsessed with candy and poisons all wrapped up in this insatiable perverted mind, who would want that?!"

 _God I do_.

The thought was right there, bold as day.

"You do." He sneered.

She jumped on him, attacked him, acting so suddenly he didn't catch it until her foot had hooked his legs out from under him and her fist had caught his jaw. It shocked him, she'd landed two successful blows in rapid succession, well she wouldn't get more.

He went down but he took her with him, ripping her feet out from under her so she fell hard. Fortunately their fight had started in the lounge area of their honeymoon suite. They toppled onto a massive Ice Bear skin rug, the dense plush fur lessening the impact of their falls.

Cobra far overpowered Lucy in sheer strength, but Lucy was fast, agile, and knew where to land blows to slow him down. She almost had him at one point, slipping out from under him and nearly getting on his back but he'd twisted, caught her wrist and yanked her off of him.

"You can't win this Tinkerbell." He hissed when she escaped his grasp again.

"You underestimate me like you do everyone else ERIK!" She used his name because she'd caught his little reaction when she'd said it earlier.

She jumped over the sofa she'd had between then and tackled him again, he was strong, very strong, but he couldn't quite hold his balance and take that impact to his upper half. He went down again and she was on top of him but he caught a wrist of hers and she caught one of his slamming it to the fur rug beside his head as he twisted hers behind her back and wrenched her forward so her chest pressed against his.

They sat glaring at each other for a few moments then Lucy lunged forward, her lips crashing into his bruisingly. He grunted, grip tightening almost painfully on her wrist as she kissed him but then his lips parted, his tongue invading her mouth and he released her wrist, his hand flying up to fist in her hair and pull her harder to him.

They tore at each other at first, like animals ripping away clothes to satisfy a primal need to reach skin and Cobra couldn't even think, he had nothing, his rational careful mind had been kicked to the side during their little fight and his dragon had full control over him because he was just too far lost in the taste, the smell, the feel of Lucy kissing him, rubbing her now barely clothed body against his.

She was straddling him, grinding herself against him and the pleasure was surging through him, making his hips buck up against her hungry for more of her and he grabbed her, rolling her to her back, settling his weight between her legs and groaning when she ground even harder against him now.

His mouth was hungrily kissing her everywhere he could reach, teeth skimming over her skin, fangs suddenly itching in a strange way he'd never felt before but was too consumed to pay attention to.

Lucy was as far gone as Cobra was, delighted by her access ripping his shirts off of him had given her. A hard muscled expanse of caramel colored skin peppered with scars that told stories she was sure would reduce her to tears when she heard them one day, and she was determined she would.

She felt them under her fingers as they skimmed over his back, scars, some deep and terrible still, the reasons for his toxic personality, or at least major contributors to it she was sure.

But they were part of him, and she couldn't have cared if he'd had them all over him, though she was grateful for his sake he didn't. Most of them seemed to be across his back, when her fingers finally undid his pants she got her hands under them, gliding over smooth skin, curling around the firm ass she'd been wanting to get her hands on for months.

She pulled and ground herself against him at the same time, making it clear what she wanted and drawing a moan from him that made her smile as she sucked on the skin at his neck, seriously hoping she left a mark behind.

She grasped the waist of his pants, shoving them down until she could hook her toes in them then pants and boxers were shoved down his legs to his ankles and he kicked them from him with his shoes.

She could feel him then, every glorious inch of him, his legs bore some scars, one of her feet trailed down the back of a thigh and she felt a few, God what he must have endured.

It didn't matter right then though, all that mattered was his body, and getting him inside of her, God she needed it, ached painfully for it, she could feel his erection, hard, large, moving against her thigh as he was reaching to kiss and lick different parts of her, as he slid down from her hungry mouth to latch his over the peak of one of her breasts leaving her unable to breath for a few moments as he showed her his toxic tongue could do more than just wrestle with hers.

He moved from one to the other and she was moaning, whimpering, impatient for him to finally move up her body and fill her.

"Cobra…please…" she begged. He growled at her, languidly enjoying sucking at her breasts, running a sharp fang over a sensitive nipple and making her shudder.

"Oh..Gods…Cobra…I can't keep waiting.."She was clawing at him, trying to pull him back up, straining her body up into him and he was just lost in the thick scent of her arousal, the overwhelming need every part of him had for her, including his dragon side, which had rarely come forward like it was now, driving him to please her, to make her so hungry for him she'd never want another man.

"You want me, admit it…all you said before…you want me." He whispered against her flesh. Her legs clamped down on him, almost forcing the breath out of him and he had to move fast to grasp her wrist before she could lay a nasty right cross on him.

His other hand moved down her body, he was too strong for her to stop him, though she tried to twist, clamp her legs harder he got his hand between her legs, finger sliding between her drenched folds, playing in the abundant heated wetness there.

"You're so wet for me Tink…don't deny it..'" He husked and she glared at him, clamping her eyes shut and throwing her head back when his skilled fingers reminded her what they were capable of.

"Ah! Yes! Yes I want you! You fucking ass!" She snarled and he grinned at her, when she opened her eyes that sexy smile, with what his fingers were doing that alone was almost enough to make her come.

She refused though, she wasn't going to let him control her like that, no, she wanted him, all of him, wanted him inside her, wanted her chance to pull wanton moans out of him.

She twisted herself a little, angling her leg and pressing her foot right in between his legs, dragging it back up and forcing his body to move up hers in a display of strength that shocked him, and when his hard erection met her heated wet center he groaned at the feeling.

"You want me Erik, admit it." She said, lifting her hips so the head of his cock slid through her folds, so she dragged part of it right over her and was suddenly rubbing her heated core right over him.

"Fu..fuck… yes! God fucking damn, I want you…I just…I don't do relationships and I know you…AHH! Shit woman…I'm gonna cum all over both of us if you keep doing that!" He ground out.

Lucy pulled his mouth to hers, kissing him fiercely "Stop worrying about what you think a relationship means, we'll set our own definitions ok? Just for Gods sake…fuck me or I'll make you cum all over us." She rotated her hips again and he hissed, hands moving to her hips and in a moment he had centered himself and was pushing into her.

Lucy bit her lip, arching her back and pressing her head back against the fur rug, God he was so thick…she was stretched to her limit, filled to the point it almost hurt when their hips met.

She wouldn't let him be lazy though, pushing up into him as soon as she could breathe again, rotating her hips, digging her heels into his ass and making him shudder.

He pulled back then and suddenly Lucy was breathless again with his first real thrust and every one that followed it.

Gods, she'd been with just a couple of men, her first boyfriend, the sex, it hadn't been great, her first time was downright unpleasant, the second not much better, she wouldn't even think about the other man, he'd not been bad at all, had in fact pleasured her until she screamed but they'd both been horribly mindlessly drunk and she only remembered a few parts of the whole thing.

So this was mind blowing, body shattering and intense. He felt so good, every inch of him within her, his skin sliding against hers, their bodies pressing against each other so hard. There was a depth to this she'd not felt before, a significance to being with him, to having him inside her, in her arms. She needed this, it was like air, food, her whole being sang with how good it felt, how right and perfect every movement was.

She'd had good sex, very good in fact, drunk as he was her last partner had made the whole experience very satisfying. But it hadn't felt like this, he hadn't made her feel…complete.

That was it, they were like perfectly matched puzzle pieces, sliding together. Pleasure on pleasure layering and overwhelming everything, drowning out the whole world except for the two of them.

She loved how he moved, and when she wanted him deeper, needed to feel him as deep and close as she could get him, needed to feel those thrusts hitting her harder she he simply responded, and she knew he heard her soul asking for it.

His arms reached down, slipping under her legs and he hooked behind her knees, bringing them up and spreading her wider as he pounded downward now into her, reaching so far each thrust nearly hurt, there was this delicious pressure caused deep inside her and a new spot the head of him touched that sent pleasure shooting throughout her whole body, tingling at her fingertips as they dug into the back of his shoulders.

She couldn't last, couldn't resist him at this angle, felt herself hurtling toward her end.

Cobra was slick with sweat, felt it running down his back, his whole body was ablaze, the insatiable need to be inside her, to please her, to drive her to heights she'd never known, make her completely his in every way was washing through him, drowning out his minds venomous denials, crushing all of his reservations and worries with every time he delved deep into her searing hot body and felt her close around him, it was better than anything he'd had before.

He'd never felt close, never felt the intimacy everyone whined and simpered about all the time but everything her soul called for his body responded to without question or hesitation. Her soul was singing, reverberating in around and through his own, he could feel her inside him and as the pleasure grew, the intensity built, the intimacy deepened until she screamed.

"Er…Erick!" And when her voice screamed it her soul did too and his body responded, sending him to his end with her, he'd no hope of holding back, restraint just wasn't there, he was pouring himself into her, his body raked with deep crashing waves of pleasure with hers and he collapsed, releasing his hold on her legs, sliding down beside her, her arms still tight around him, legs clamped around his hips, body arching into his.

They lay tightly holding each other, him still seated to the hilt inside her, panting until their heartbeats slowed and then she was kissing him again, and he couldn't stop kissing her back, and he felt himself hardening inside her and he'd never in his life done that before.

Once and done, he always left, even if he thought he might want the woman again, distance mattered, too long in their arms and they started getting possessive but he didn't care now.

"We'll set our own definitions…" she'd said it, he'd hold her to it too because he was breaking every rule he had with her, every boundry he'd used to keep himself safe and comfortable.

The last ones flew away as she rolled him to his back, started pumping her hips against him, causing a delicious friction and her body burned around him, gripping him tightly, making his eye roll back and a wanton rumbling growl tumble out of him.

Whatever they were becoming he didn't care anymore, he just needed this, he felt amazing, like he'd downed a whole jar of those apple seeds, his soul was light, mingling freely with hers, his dragon was delighted and flooding him with approval he'd never felt before, the only thing that seemed unhappy were his fangs, they almost itched, had gotten longer as soon as he had first pushed himself into Lucys body.

He had no idea what that was about but he wasn't going to waste time thinking about it, not with a busty blonde smirking down at him, ridding him with tantalizing moans and running her hands up and over her breasts, he didn't give a shit about his fucking fangs.

He would be anything to keep feeling this, if she wanted to call him her fucking boyfriend, he didn't care anymore. "Come on…Tink…nngh, yes…you can do better!" He taunted and her eyes flashed at the challenge and he felt her thighs clamp around his hips and then he couldn't have formed a coherent thought if his life had depended on it.


	9. Chapter 9 Show me

A/N So after a brief jaunt with a 4 shot, I have this to offer you all, I hope you enjoy, I'm starting to get warmed up now for this piece...DESNA

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxooxoxoxoxoxooxoxoxoxoxoxooxoxoxoxoxoo

Cana grinned, she and Bix were squeezed down in a hidden alcove of the Council outpost building. Their meeting had been interrupted by Rune Knights, who had not seen her or Bix, coming in after their contact had already given them what they were there for.

The woman had been walking away, had rounded the corner headed back to her work station when she'd been confronted. Cana and Bix had slid down into this little recessed alcove that was used to store things but currently lay empty. Bix was stretching above her, waiting for the two Rune Knights to edge just a hint closer, if they did, he would take them over so their contact could escape.

Cana was pressed against the mans lower half and right in front of her face was his belt. She rolled her eyes, No Cana, you do not open up Bixys pants to get at the wonderful toy he keeps in there while in the middle of a Council outpost while he is trying to save a contact and is absorbed in what he's doing.

The men stepped into his range and Bix lifted his visor for a moment, just as Cana gave in to her dark impulses and he felt his belt open, and his jeans get yanked down, the next sensation had him grinning, and the wicked delight that travelled through him had two Rune Knights suddenly making out with each other in front of their startled contact, who took the opportunity to high tail it away from the men.

Snapping his visor back down over his eyes Bickslow groaned, tilting his head back and pulling the little cabinet door shut, no way he was going to even hint at them making good their exit from this place until Cana finished, holy shit were those her teeth?!

"Fuck Cana…" He gasped out. "Yes you will later." She replied before continuing what she was doing.

Bickslow pressed his head back, gripping one of the support beams running behind him as Cana hollowed her cheeks and looked up at him, working him until his mouth fell open and he was gasping, clenching his teeth, trying to stay silent.

He could stop her, insist that hidden in a fucking storage cabinet inside a Council outpost wasn't the right place for them to be screwing around, but holy hell Cana knew how to work a mans body and she was working his and he was loving it way too much.

Her nails dug into his hips and her pace had him digging his nails into the wood of the post at his back until finally he shuddered, through some ungodly feat of willpower managing not to moan when he came.

Cana smiled up at him, wiping her mouth and putting his clothes back in order. "You are so going to fuck me later." She ordered, Bickslow grinned "Yes ma'am. First lets get the hell out of here though."

Between her cards and him sending the guards to do lewd things with each other none would talk about later or ever want to admit to, they stole their way out of the outpost and managed to get back to the nearby town, Bickslow flying them to their room so they could simply enter through the window and nobody would ever know they had even left.

Cana pulled the window shut, locked it and closed the curtains laughing "That was…ahh…oh Gods Bixy…" she moaned staggering her capris yanked down her legs and pulled from them, Bickslow on his knees, tongue sliding up her center while laughing red eyes met hers.

He pulled Canas legs out from under her, hokking her knees over his shoulders and then hefting up her hips to tilt her body, his tongue plunging into her as she clutched at the windowsill and bit her lip to keep from screaming. They'd been asked to leave the hotel in the last town they'd been in because she'd spent a good portion of the night screaming because Bickslow was just way too intensely good with his tongue.

What floored her though was, as incredible as the man was with his mouth, he was even better with the rest of his body, handsome, sexy, a complete blast to be around… it all meant she'd been having one hell of a good time on this mission.

She'd been kind of looking forward to trying to get into Grays pants but when Laxus had switched her to Bickslow so he could create an extra team, oh, she'd been just delighted going from a maybe to a sure thing.

She'd snuck into his room a few times while they were working the club, just needing company, a mans touch, and he'd willingly accepted her advances. It had kept her from going out of her mind since hanging all over Laxus and Gajeel all day with neither of them showing any real interest in her and Laxus out and out rejecting a straight forward invitation from her, she'd needed the affirmation, release…comfort. Bickslow was probably one of the best men in the guild to go to for comfort, he would never reject someone, it just wasn't in him. He'd dealt with the pain of rejection himself too many times.

So Cana was grateful to have been partnered with the Seith, besides, in addition to having a handsome face a hot body and being a dream in bed, he was also a very powerful extremely talented mage that excelled at strategy, and executing plans.

Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxxoxoxoxoxxoxoxoxoxoxoxxoxoxoxoxxoxoxoxoxoxxoxoxo

"We're pretty far out here." Levy said quietly, noting that they had rounded the little outcropping that separated Starlight Bay and Akane Beach from the posh beaches of Moonshore.

This was where many wealthy families kept beach houses in Moonshore and they needed to watch out for private areas that would have guards or protections and wards in place.

They could rely on Gajeels keen senses though, and if they encountered wards, runes or other protections, odds were Levy could get through them.

Somewhere there was supposed to be a rocky outcropping and their contact would be waiting there. Levy was honestly a little distracted, the moon on the water was beautiful and the last few days they had gotten information and proof of more dark dealings connected with the R&D department.

They had also found out the department was literally smuggling in some sort of rare magical item that was scheduled to come through Moonshore instead of Hargeon and the docks at Moonshore were a small affair meant for small private boats belonging to residents and there were no royal authorities that manned them like the port at Akane or the huge one at Hargeon.

With the rail line that went to Crocus starting/ending at Akane, it really was just about a perfect smuggling point.

It was either that or try to get it up the Peace River but with the presence of Dark Bay not far from the mouth of the Peace River, it wasn't likely the council would risk anything important going through that area.

Levy was hoping this contact was going to provide them with more information on this upcoming item since this was to be an information exchange. She had the envelope containing the information this person needed in her bag, neither she nor Gajeel knew what was in the envelope.

The outcropping seemed to just appear, but with the shadows of the clouds blocking out the light of the stars and moon intermittently, it shouldn't have been surprising. Sitting on it was a short balding man who turned faintly glowing yellow eyes on them.

Gajeel hesitated, he'd been holding Levys hand since she'd nearly fallen in the sand as they had crossed into Moonshore and he adjusted his grip on her, ready to pull her behind him.

 _Don't worry, I'm no threat to someone like you…Gods…you…you're really him aren't you…Black Steel_.

Gajeel wasn't sure what to do, that hadn't been verbal, he'd heard it in his head, and that instantly alarmed him.

He glanced at Levy, finding her wide eyed staring at the man.

 _I have a lacrima in me…I'm non-magical…or I was until…they took us, me and my wife and daughter_. He looked out over the water again.

 _I still don't know why they chose us, I know they wanted to test the transfer of magical ability form one person to another, wanted to see if magic could be ripped out of one person and then put in a Lacrima and implanted in another…it worked…I guess you could say that…my wifes magic…my wife…lives in me_ …

The sorrow that came in a wave washed over Levy and she almost fell to her knees but Gajeel caught her.

 _I'm sorry…I don't control this well…I..I don't want to…do you have the information they promised me_?

Gajeel reached into Levys bag and pulled out the thick envelope and handed it to the man, who in turn handed them a recording lacrima.

 _Their last moments are on that…please…avenge them, avenge all of us…tell them, the people you work for…I don't want help…I just want to…be with my family_.

The man jumped down from the outcropping and headed inshore then, not looking at them again and Gajeel picked up a sobbing Levy, dropping the lacrima into her bag and carrying her back they way they had come.

It was a few minutes before Levy got control of herself, her slender arms were around his neck and she started fiddling with his hair, face buried safely against his shoulder.

"What's happening Gajeel? Why would the Magic Council be doing these things? It goes against everything they're supposed to stand for." She whispered.

"They've always had corruption problems Shrimp, power does that to people. What they're doing doesn't surprise me much, what I'm worried about is why are they doing it? What are they planning?" He said in a hard tone.

Almost by reflex his arms tightened on her, pulling her more closely to him protectively.

She didn't miss it, snuggling in closer as he was carrying her around the point that separated Akane from Moonshore back onto Akane Beach.

The mans desolated sorrow had felt horrific. He'd loved his wife and daughter and they had both gotten a taste of his grief, and though they knew nothing of him, they knew his family was dead, knew the experiment they'd been forced through had placed his wifes powers into him and Gods only knew what had happened to his daughter.

They knew enough to understand the grief and sorrow. For Gajeel it steeled his resolve in his involvement with this. He needed to be in this, had to see it through. Pain like that, nobody should be put through it in the pursuit of power, greed…no. Gajeel had been an attack dog for things like that for most of his life, no more, now, he fought it.

The woman in his arms was a big part of the reason why, his need to be the man she believed he was. He would live up to that. His Fairy Tail family and Levy meant everything to him, there simply wasn't anything else, not for him.

Levy was reminded how fragile life was, how a single thing could end it, leave you like that man, in misery, alone, the love of his life gone along with their daughter.

Then he had to live with a lacrima containing his wifes magic inside of him… Levy couldn't even imagine. How could anyone do something do evil to another human being?

She pressed her face into Gajeels neck then, needing the closeness, the last two weeks of constant cuddling, hugging, kissing in public to keep up their cover…it had been dream like. Made it incredibly hard for her to focus on her work.

She nearly finished translating the second list and had set it aside to work on the letter intercepted by Gray and Evergreen and sent immediately to Levy for translation when Freed saw what language it was written in.

Working with a dead language was difficult, focusing on the endless research required to assure each part was being interpreted right? Near impossible when Gajeel was nibbling on her ear, which he did when they were sitting on the beach, or by the pool, or in a restaurant.

It was uncharacteristic for him, he just wasn't an openly affectionate person, or maybe he'd never seemed like he would be because he'd never had the opportunity? Levy wasn't sure, but he seemed to take to it easily, and had started teasing her too, seeming to delight in getting her flustered.

"I can walk now Gajeel, thank you." She whispered, placing a soft kiss on his cheek. He stopped, setting her on her feet, and they walked back to the resort like they had left, hand in hand.

They opted for room service, and once it had come Levy set the recording lacrima down on the table and stared at it.

"aint ours to analyze shrimp, that's for Hidden Hope. Besides, you really want to see that mans family die?" Gajeel picked the lacrima up and dropped it onto a shipping box they'd been given for it. The box sealed magically around the lacrima as soon as it was placed inside and Levy frowned, chewing her lip.

"No, of course not, but I want to know more about what's happening Gajeel, I don't like feeling like something huge is happening and I only have a small piece of a much bigger picture." She told him.

He sighed, setting the now sealed container on the table beside the others similar to it. "Me neither but if we want to keep our part, keep our position of at least knowing something? This is how we do that." He pointed out.

Levy rested her chin on her hands, sighing heavily. "Gajeel…if Fiore went to war with Seven or Minstrel…" her voice trailed off and she looked at the table top for a moment before pulling her translation materials to her.

Gajeel pulled her chair back and she frowned at him. "Get up, we're going down to the spa for one of their "Late night" couples things." He said gruffly. She smiled "You said you didn't want to."

It was something she'd been bugging him about, in the evenings the Resort did special couples sessions in the spa, in hot mineral baths, massages, hot springs, all sorts of things that sounded incredibly relaxing and they had unlimited access with the Honeymoon "package" they'd been set up with for their stay.

Gajeel had turned her down flat when she'd asked.

"We spend all day all over each other and you want to go to something where we have to get even more grabby? If you're wanting more out of me Shrimp all you gotta do is say so." He'd teased, she'd blushed into a tomato color and grumbled "Stupid Gajeel."

Now he was suggesting they go? She wasn't letting that opportunity go by. Standing she accepted his hand and found herself pulled up into a one of his crushing hugs, and…mind shattering kisses.

If his aim was to change her mood it worked. She forgot all about political unrest, corrupted council divisions and the dangerous work they were doing and her whole world shrunk down to the man holding her.

"Gotta get in the right frame of mind." He said quietly a few moments later and she smiled at him, he was doing this to get her mind off of things, she knew it now, and was grateful. "I have the best boyfriend…" she whispered. He chuckled "Damn right you do, and a pretty good husband too."

They grabbed their bathing suits and headed down to the Resorts spa.

The woman running the couples events grinned when they approached "Oh! I was hoping to see you two while you were here! I saw you were on the list of people with full access and was really hoping I'd get to see you!" She gushed.

Levy smiled and the woman led them into the spa to changing rooms. "I'll be waiting right here for you." She told them.

Levy changed quickly, knowing Gajeel wouldn't be thrilled dealing with the over the top woman for long and she actually came out just before he did.

"Fantastic! So I'm Sherry, I'll be looking after you both. Our special session tonight is a mineral body mask, so you'll have a thick mineral clay spread over your skin then you'll be able to step from the table where we apply that right into a hot spring bath to soak it clear. The process takes about two hours and is incredibly good for your skin." She told them brightly.

She led them into a room with two tables set up beside a small pool of water being moved relatively swiftly by jets along the pools sides and a waterfall at one end. The water steamed so it was plenty warm.

An attendant bowed, a woman about the same height as Sherry with dark blonde hair.

"Allright, just hang your robes there and we'll get you started!" Sherry said with enthusiasm. Levy was certain the woman did everything with that same energy, she had to be exhausting to be around.

She nearly dropped the robe though when she saw Gajeel hang his and turn toward the tables.

She couldn't count how many times she'd seen him without a shirt on, she'd even seen him in nothing but a small towel, and oh what a delicious sight that had been…still the mans body really was mouthwatering.

She'd sat while he'd done one of his workouts just that morning, watching him layer the weights on, the gym attendant had been nervous about it, a muscled powerful looking man, he'd admitted he wasn't sure he could lift what Gajeel had set up and Gajeel had just shrugged.

They didn't handle enough Physical combat mages it seemed. Someone benching over 800lbs wasn't common. Gajeel did it easily though, and topped a thousand with his legs, which made sense, she'd seen Laxus do even more in the guild gym once. Dragons Slayers were close to the pinnacle of physical combat wizards with magic that was as powerful as the rest of them.

Gajeel in particular, because his magic had a lot more to do with physical positioning and power than even Laxus, worked hard to keep himself at his peak.

It showed, and both of the attendants eyes were roaming over Gajeel. Levy frowned slightly, having other women drool over her boyfriend wasn't new for her, Gods they had done more than that at the club, she'd had to sit praying the Rune Knight didn't chose him that night and it had been the worst few minutes of her life.

She knew she shouldn't have been so relieved when Laxus had been forced to go have sex with the woman, but she'd been so glad Gajeel hadn't had to she'd almost been ashamed of herself, almost.

She'd watched Laxus down a lust potion so he could do what he had to and imagined what she would have felt if she'd had to watched Gajeel do it. When they had left the club and that possibility behind, she'd been overwhelmed with relief.

It was part of undercover work, Lucy was having to love all over Cobra right now and that man was just horribly nasty at times, mean as he could be. She'd seen him improving, relaxing more with time, but still, poor Lucy.

At least she was with Gajeel, a man she already had deep feelings for, already wanted…God…his legs were just so muscled…when he turned a bit to listen to Sherrys instructions about holding still while the mineral mask was applied his rock hard toned arm, bearing Fairy Tails symbol at the top in black caught her eye, she so wanted to run her fingers over that scared skin…

Sherry started rubbing some sort of oil on him then, her hand sliding over his back and Levy narrowed her eyes…and growled.

The women honestly didn't hear her but Gajeel did, he whipped his head around and stared at her, shocked surprise and something else, something fiery, burning in his red eyes.

He grabbed Sherrys wrist to stop her. Watching Levy closely, seeing her looking a little surprised with her own behavior.

"Couples thing aint it? Have my wife do that, I'll enjoy it a lot more." He smirked and Sherry smiled brightly. "An excellent idea! Just lay on the table sir, Mrs Drexlar, come here I'll show you how to apply the oil, it preps the skin for the mineral mask." She explained and Levy was smiling again, Gajeel stretched out on a table before her on his belly, arms encircling the small pillow. She pushed his heavy mane of black locks aside and started rubbing the oil over him.

He turned his head, looking back toward her smiling then closed his eyes and after a few minutes, Sherry had him turn over and Levy was rubbing oil over his chest while his crimson eyes burned into her.

"I get to put it on her right?" He asked and Sherry nodded "Of course sir!"

Levy just watched his eyes, enjoying how when she reached lower on his body, drifted her fingers over his abs and brushed against the waist of his swim shorts the burning in those eyes blazed.

She hadn't expected him applying the oil to her skin was going to do all it did to her but she was biting her lip and choking down moans from the start, the moment his large hands were sliding over her skin she was just lost, wishing the attendants weren't there, picturing him like he'd been that night in the towel, it hanging so low on those trim hips.

She wanted him…oh Gods in the heavens did she want this man, and she knew he knew it, saw his sexy half smile half smirk, felt the heat in his gaze. Two weeks they'd spent, like Gajeel said pretty much on a continuous "date". Walking the beach, playing in the casino, going to the water park, meeting various contacts and running down a few leads.

They'd had more time together in the last two weeks than they'd had in the last two years and it had brought them closer together. Levy had been sleeping on the bed, he'd been on the large couch in the sitting area, content to give her time.

He hadn't rushed her at all for sex, she had thrown herself at him at the club and he'd known it wasn't the right place or time then and kept them on track.

He'd told her more than once he wanted her, but she held back, feeling like maybe they should wait until they got back to Magnolia but now, his hands sliding over her skin, those red eyes burning into her, she couldn't imagine why waiting would make sense with all that was happening around them.

She loved him now.

She bit her lip, suddenly looking away at the water, oh Gods…she did…she really did love him…

Now that the thought had come in it wouldn't leave, the realization that she did, she really truly did love Gajeel Redfox. The Iron Dragon Slayer, the man who had beaten her unconscious and bolted her to a tree…also the man who had saved her life many times, held her, kissed her, cuddled with her on the couch, even sang to her.

She was in love with him.

Now what?

Gajeel handed the bottle back to the attendant and he was taken back to the other table, Sherry worked on applying the minerals to him while the other attendant worked on Levy and Levy tried not to glare hatefully at Sherry as she watched the woman use a wide wooden paddle to spread heavy mineral rich clay over Gajeels skin.

Gajeel wasn't sure what had happened, but he saw Levy look away suddenly and it worried him now. She'd been way into him rubbing that oil onto her body, their eyes had been locked the whole time and he'd been biting the inside of his cheek trying not to let himself get too excited because holy hell was touching her body driving him insane with need.

He was seeing more, her eyes glazing over with lust more than they ever had before, the scent of it filling the air, making him almost drunk with it then suddenly something crossed that busy mind of hers that seemed to shock her and she looked away…withdrew.

He couldn't figure it out.

He could watch her, saw her gaze getting nasty on the woman as she covered his skin in the hot clay, and he had to admit, it was seriously nice, especially for him, the minerals were like candy, made his skin come alive in a unique way he'd not felt before.

After a long while, application seemed to take forever and Levy was done before he was, he could smell Sherry was deliberately lingering over his chest and arms but he let her, enjoyed watching Levy seethe a little.

Then They were led to the water.

"Go ahead and soak, we'll be back in 30 minutes for you." Sherry told them and she and the attendant left.

Gjeel wasted no time, snatched Levy to him the moment they were in the water drawing a squeak out of her.

"What was that earlier?" He demanded, rubbing his hand over her back, breaking away the clay even as she was doing the same with the thick coating on his chest, the steaming water seeming to also be loaded with minerals, making his skin tingle. Levys touch was twice as exciting too.

"I don't know what you mean." She lowered her eyes, focusing on rubbing the water into the clay on his skin so it slid away.

"Nuh uh, while I was putting that oil on you…you looked away suddenly, why…don't try to hide shit from me Shrimp, something bothered you I saw it. Was it me? If I was getting too pushy…I mean, doing that was seriously turning me on I won't lie but I'm still not pressuring you Levy, you say when we do things." He told her.

She met his eyes when he said her name, he said it so infrequently whenever she heard it from his lips it always thrilled her a little.

She pushed her hands down his body, rubbing the clay from his skin and then, closing her eyes, slid one hand lower right between his legs. His reaction made her eyes fly wide. He went rigid, gasping hard and she met his shocked gaze nervously but licked her lips "Gajeel, I want to be with you…"

There was no mistaking her meaning, he wasn't stupid and couldn't play dumb, he blinked, lips parting slightly.

"Levy…" He searched her eyes for a moment and she didn't look away, scared as she was she wasn't afraid of Gajeel, she trusted him, knew he would never hurt her, knew he cared deeply for her, he'd told her he did.

"You…you're sure you're ready for that?" He asked, it was beyond important that she was, because once they started into that depth…he knew his heart would be gone, if she walked away from him, he'd pine for her for the rest of his wretched dragon ass life.

She wasn't just some random woman for a hard rough lay to vent some tension. This one his dragon wanted, this one he wanted. Forever if he had his way.

"I am…I want to move forward with you…I want you Gajeel, all of you." She said quietly and he smiled, tilting her face up so he could kiss her.

The attendants found them that way, kissing languidly, still plenty of clay on them since they'd done nothing to remove it like they were supposed to, though most of the clay was gone from Gajeels chest and abs and parts of his back and Levys chest, belly, and her thighs right under her ass were clear too.

They were directed under the water fall to wash off the remaining clay then, dripping and wrapped in thick robes, they were returned to the changing rooms to shower and put their clothes back on.

As soon as they left the spa though, Gajeel took Levys hand and pulled her to the elevator, as soon as the doors closed her grabbed her, lifted her off the ground and held her against him, kissing her, pouring all he felt for her into it.

Levy arms and legs wrapped around him, and when they reached their floor it took him a minute to realize it and step off, and he stood, leaning back against the wall beside the elevator doors, Levy kissing him back as hard as he'd kissed her and he felt it…felt her…his chest tightened at it.

When she pulled back they both stared at each other panting, and then Levy laid her head on his shoulder "Take me to bed Gajeel…make love to me…" She breathed.

Gajeel groaned softly, her words making him ache and he carried her to their room, once the door was closed she was reaching down his back, grabbing his shirt and yanking it up his body and her dress joined it on the floor a moment later. They left a trail of clothing across the sitting room to the bedroom, kissing everything they could reach of each other.

He felt it, his dragon, the push to claim her was there, stronger than ever and he'd been contending with it for months now, but he reined it in.

Lifetime commitment, eternal bonding of their immortal souls, was not on the table tonight. Tonight she wanted just him, and he wanted her, to move forward, not dive off the end.

She lay on the bed, just her panties on, panting up at him, hazel eyes wide, anxious but hazy with lust and affection that was deeper than he'd seen in her before.

He shook the idea, no, not yet, he was imagining it, he hadn't earned that from her yet but he was damn sure going to. He just couldn't fuck up along the way.

She hadn't had much experience, he knew it, but it didn't matter, he had plenty and he'd make sure she was good and ready when the time finally came, for now though…he was ready to just worship her.

Levy watched wide eyed, Gajeel was naked before her as he climbed over her onto the bed, she'd pushed his pants and boxers down with her feet and he'd stepped out of them while carrying her to the bed.

Gods he was huge…no part of him was small, and she bit her lip…piercings there too, running up the shaft, creating ridges.

"You'll enjoy every one of them…" he promised, seeing what she was staring at and she reached up, needing his lips on hers, needing to drink him in deep because she needed to just drown in him.

His hands moved so gently, it amazed her a man so large and powerful could manage to be so gentle, but he did, though when his mouth moved down, sealed over her breast she gasped feeling a razor sharp fang slide over her skin.

Gentle actions from a deadly man. She was writhing, moaning, unable to stop the noises she made. Her experience was limited to one somewhat awkward encounter with Jet.

She'd been worried he'd be disappointed in her body, her small breasts, how small she was overall, but Gods, his eyes were on fire, and his touch…he groaned when she ran her nails over his shoulders.

"Levy…" He breathed and she thrilled hearing her name from him, in that husky rough voice.

A hand slid lower, teasing over the tops of her thighs, brushing across her center and making her gasp, lift her hips up toward that touch eagerly and Gajeel smiled faintly, continuing to assault her breasts as he let his fingers slide between her legs and between her wet folds.

He was almost amazed how wet she was too, he'd barely begun and she was writhing, moaning beneath him, grinding into his touch wantonly.

It staggered him, how his shy blushing little Shrimp turned into a brazen little tiger in bed. He loved it, encouraged it, latched on to the task of drawing more of that from her.

First one finger, then another slid inside her, and as his lips moved back to hers, he felt how tight she was and knew all he needed to do, it was going to be work he really enjoyed too.

When she sucked on his lower lip and bit him he growled, enjoying how it made her heart rate increase.

What he didn't know was his growl started a goal in Levy, the sound was the sexiest thing she'd ever heard, she'd heard his growls of irritation, impatience, the list went on, but never one like this, deep, rumbling, almost a purr, and she wanted more, knew it meant he liked what she'd done.

He was driving her wild with his overly skilled fingers, and she needed him to feel as much as she was so she stretched her hand down his tall body and grasped his rigid erection, drawing a hiss from him.

"Di…did that hurt?" she asked worried. He met her eyes, fingers still working inside her body, making it hard for her to think.

"No…everything about you feels good Levy…don't be afraid to touch me…I want you to…Gods…please, scream, touch, scratch…and yes…I liked the bite too." His smile was wolfish before he kissed her again and her mind blanked out while his tongue was sliding against hers.

When his mouth went to her shoulder hers went to his neck and she licked and kissed, then…moaning softly when his thumb started moving over the bundle of nerves between her legs, she bit him hard enough he groaned and chuckled.

"Mmm…shrimp has teeth" he breathed and she shuddered as razor sharp fangs scraped over the skin of her shoulder "I have them too…" He whispered.

She drew his ear lobe into her mouth, sucking, scraping her teeth over it, nipping the piercings and making him shudder and moan.

Her body was on fire, writhing, legs sliding up and down against his thighs and hips, back arching her body up against his, he felt so incredibly good, warm smooth skin, hard muscle, and Gods his fingers were playing her like a piano.

"I have…wanted…to do this with you for so long Levy…" He breathed against her ear… "To make you mine…to feel you like this….Gods woman, every sound you make…"He kissed her fiercely, pulling back and looking hard into her half lidded eyes for a moment before smoothly sliding down her body, kissing her belly, her hips, her thighs, then ran his tongue right up between her legs and her eyes rolled back in her head, a course ragged sound coming from her.

"That's right…moan for me Levy…" He sucked at the little bundle of nerves, plunged his tongue into her while his hands lifted her hips up to give him a better angle and she screamed, the pleasure too intense, finally overwhelming her and making her body explode with shuddering waves of it.

He was kissing her then, she hadn't felt him move but his lips sealed over hers. "I'm going to take you now Levy…" He purred and she felt him pressing into her, he was so large, her body stretched to the point of pain and he started rocking himself against her, gaining depth with every stroke, making every nerve in her body respond, making the last pulses of her orgasm so intense she cried out again, moaned his name then his mouth caught hers again in a searing kiss as with a firm snap of his hips he was buried fully inside of her. That final thrust made him groan, the pleasure of it just about robbing him of his control, leaving him panting to hold on, resting his head on her shoulder for a moment before he started moving again.

After the first short stroke Levy moved, fingernails raking down his back, heels digging into his ass and she used her grip with her legs to meet his thrusts forcefully, making him curse and growl and Levy smiled faintly, a victory for her, she knew she was yanking on his control and she meant to do more, rotating her hips as she met his next thrust and delighting when he threw his head back "Levy!...ah!...feels so good…to be…inside you!" He gasped out as he started picking up his pace.

He was keeping his weight on his own arms and legs as much as he could and wanted to move her but with every thrust she was undoing him, he wasn't going to last, she was too much….he'd wanted this for so long, thought about it, held himself back so much, now he was inside of her, she was so hot and tight, her walls clenching him so firmly it nearly hurt and she was making all of these sounds driving him mad, scarping her nails over his skin, biting him…he was half out of his mind already.

Driving harder into her he lifted her hips up, so his next thrust took him deeper into her heated core and she screamed out his name, exploding around him, coming completely undone and completely undoing him along with her, her walls crushed in on him, her legs clamping onto and with one last hard thrust he roared out his own release, spilling his seed into her body and gasping out her name again holding her against him until her body had taken every bit of what he had to offer and he carefully rolled to the side, pulling her with him.

"That…oh Gajeel…" Levy breathed, bonelessly laying on top of him unable to even think about moving.

"Yeah…you…you drive me wild Levy." He chuckled softly. She smirked, "Once I find my body that I think you just fucking me out of…I want more…" She said and felt his member move inside her. "You do huh?" He breathed.

"Yes…give me all you've got…show me what kind of Dragon you are.." She purred and grinned when she felt him start to quickly harden inside her.

The rumbling growl shook through her whole body "Oh…I'll show you…" He vowed.


	10. Chapter 10 The first clash

A/N Thank you my reveiwers, Mew, Leos, Music, Cos, JD, M.b, all of you, feedback inspires, and also molds the story around what you all are hoping to see. Enjoy...DESNA

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Lucy shrieked. Her whip reached out and caught the man rushing her right across the face, it was a bit nastier than she'd planned but he ran into it. This meet up hadn't just been fruitless, it had been a trap.

She and Cobra were dealing with 6 people who…they had magic…but it was wild, uncontrolled, they were even hitting themselves and their own companions with it.

The man she was fighting now had just killed one of the other mages with him, he'd been building whatever the dark crackling crap was he formed into orbs and threw and had accidentally made it too big so when he tried to throw it at Lucy it had moved wrong off his hand and lobbed right into the side of the head of the man beside him…blowing the mans head clean off his body.

Horrified Lucy was trying to keep her own head in the fight instead of on the serious trouble they were in.

These mages, they had powerful magic, deadly powerful, but none of them seemed to have a single clue about how to use it!

As they fought, Loke was even getting flustered by it "What the fuck is wrong with you people!" He shouted, watching a woman misdirect and attack and put a beam of sizzling light right through the middle of the woman behind her, killing her, then when she yanked it back too fast she cut her own leg off just below the knee and fell to the ground shrieking.

When it was done, 4 of the mages were dead because of their own team mates, the woman who'd cut her own leg off had bled out and was dead and the last one…he didn't look like he was going to last much longer.

Lucy was absolutely horrified, panting, he breath coming in ragged half sobs as she took in the death and gore that had unfolded in front of her.

Cobra was there then, blood all down one side of his body but none of it was his. He pulled her into a firm embrace and kissed her, shocking her, how did he want to kiss at a time like this?!

When he pulled back she glared at him "Erik…" she spat and he smiled faintly, though the humor wasn't in his eye. "No hyperventilating, keep it together Tinkerbell…ok?"

She frowned, sagging a bit in his grasp He kissed her again, soft, how such a hard man could be so delicate had surprised her since the first time he'd kissed her.

"How could they….what was that Erik?! How could they be so powerful without even knowing how to use their fucking magic?!" She demanded, as if he knew.

"Good question, shh, hey, calm down, it's over, we're both ok." He was rocking her gently, trying to get her calm, she realized she was shaking.

"So much blood…" She felt her stomach lurch as the smell of burnt human flesh and blood reached her and Erik turned her, held her while she emptied her stomach by a tree.

Lucy..call Virgo, now." He said firmly, ordered her, and she was so shaky, so upset, she complied, the Maid bowing "Puni…Princess!" The Maid looked around, taking in the scene and her masters distress.

"I need you to take her a ways away, start heading for the town, toward the resort we're staying at, I have to do something and she can't watch me do it." He said grimly.

Lucy tried to straighten, glared at him "What are you doing?" She tried to make it a hard demand, but it came out in a weak croak because her throat was raw from vomiting.

"I have a theory about why they were like they were, head back, I'll be right behind you, GO, she needs to get back and we need to get the authorities out here. So get her to the road back and then Lucy, call the town guard." He said

"But…the Rune Knights…we'll be questioned…" She said weakly. Erik growled "It doesn't matter, clearly somebody knows we're here or this wouldn't have happened, we won't be there for them to question, we're heading for the train as soon as we get our things." He told her, Lucy nodded, letting Virgo pull her away from the gorey horrific scene up the slope to the where the road to town was.

The ambush had been a swift if terribly clumsy one, the man Cobra knelt next to, who had lost his head, had seemed uncomfortable with magic to the point he'd drawn a sword.

That had given Erik large cause to suspect what he was confirming.

Yanking the shirt open on the body her found it…a tattoo of a cross, the Rune Knights symbol. Frowning darkly he let his scales cover his arm, his talons replacing the nails on his fingers as he shoved his sleeves well up his arm and plunged his hand into the mans chest where he saw the scar. Sure enough his talons scraped over a round hard object and he grasped it, wrenching it free from the body…a Lacrima.

Glaring, he wiped it off as best he could, shoved it into his coat pocket and then hurried after Lucy and her spirit cursing under his breath, everything had just gotten far worse.

She was just shutting off her com lacrima when he reached her.

"They're on the way and I sent Virgo to get our things. We can cut across the woods to get back to town and dodge the authorities all together." She suggested and he nodded.

Cutting through he woods proved to be a good idea on a few levels, one, they avoided the rune knights, two, they came across a stream where they could clean up and Lucy jumped on the chance. She didn't want to board a train with blood all over her. She'd done it before but since they were trying to avoid attention now it would be better if they didn't.

Virgo appeared and set down two stacks of clean clothes a bars of soap.

Cobra grinned, loving the maid spirit more every time Lucy brought her out.

They had to be quick so he didn't hesitate to shed his coat and shirts, Lucy stood a little stunned watching his drop to a knee by the stream and wash the blood from his hands and arm, muscles flexing under that caramel skin and hundreds of scars. She'd seen every inch of him now…literally she smirked.

His body was incredible, the scars that peppered it, told a heartbreaking story he didn't have to tell for her to understand. He glanced at her "A bloody Tinkerbell is going to attract unhappy attention, now quit eye fucking me and clean up woman." He said, not entirely unkindly.

"I'll happily fuck you for real once we're on the train." He added and Lucy grinned, peeling off her bloody clothes and giving them to Virgo.

"I will get all of this washed for you Princess." The spirit said and Lucy smiled at her "Thank you Virgo."

Once Cobra handed over his bloodstained jeans Virgo bowed again and disappeared, leaving them to finish cleaning up and getting dressed. She'd brought Cobra his standard layers, a black turtle neck, a dark purple button down and black jeans as well as a black coat that came down to his thighs. Lucy drew a breath, he looked sinfully good.

Cobra helped her get over the stream and they made the train station a few minutes later, gratefully on a train set to depart in a few minutes for the long ride to Oak town, where they went from there they would need to discuss with Laxus.

Cobra even got them a sleeper compartment, knowing they would need privacy so they could call Laxus and find out what the hell to do next.

Once settled, door locked curtain drawn they waited until the train had pulled away before Lucy called Laxus.

"What's up?" Laxus demanded.

Lucy explained everything and their team leaders expression darkened steadily as she went. Cobra however, darkened it further.

"Yeah, one of them was also a Rune Knight Laxus, and this was in his chest." He pulled out the lacrima, still a little bloody and Lucy looked at him in shock.

Laxus frowned "A Rune knight that went to weapons first and didn't know how to use magic with a lacrima implant?...Fuck…Ok, plan to stay in Oak Town, until I get this sorted out with the employer, good job, I know it sucks, but you did the right thing leaving and Cobra, thanks for that, couldn't have been pleasant but we really needed to know that shit." Laxus said and Cobra nodded, tucking the Lacrima back into the jacket pocket.

"You…that's what you had to do you didn't want me to see…you dug that out of one of them?" Lucy asked weakly after they hung up with Laxus. He gave her a grim look and nodded. She stared out the window for a few minutes.

"I had to Lucy, there was a small chance I was wrong but when I opened the guys shirt and saw the scar…I knew I was right, it's why they had magic that was powerful but that they didn't know how to use." He told her. She nodded "I know you had to do it…I'm just…it was so terrible…who did that to them, to a Rune knight…" She breathed.

"Rune knights, 4 of them were branded Rune Knights, had the tattoos." He told her and her eyes got big. Fearful.

"Nobody saw us go out there, only that team knew we were coming, we're out of the area. We'll wait for Laxus to tell us what's next and keep going. It's unlikely anyone will chase after us, they won't know where to look." He assured her.

She nibbled at her lower lip, trying to wrap her head around it all and coming up lost in the process.

She was casting her thoughts around so much she was making him dizzy until he reached out and touched her cheek. "Stop…you're making my head hurt. We don't know enough to make sense out of this yet Tinkerbell." He told her.

She shuddered "Whatever is happening…it's bad." She said, leaning ino his touch, needing the comfort.

The last two weeks they had been all over each other, and it had been incredible, every minute of it, as harsh a person as he was, Erik was an attentive, careful, intensely passionate lover who seemed able to draw her pleasure up into greater heights every time they were together, it was uncanny.

She'd never thought of herself as being into something like biting during sex, but when he ran his teeth over her, his long sharp fangs that always got longer when they were having sex it drove her wild. He'd bitten her once so hard he'd left a mark over her right breast, he'd come up with her blood on his lips and it had been absolutely mind blowing the orgasm that bite had pushed her into.

She'd needed him more after that too, the lust was deeper, stronger, and she felt closer to him, sensed more from him, knew when his mood was getting dark or defensive, and was learning how to work around them.

His tongue really was a lot meaner than the rest of him and half the time he just said horrid things to get people to back off.

He did genuinely have a dark sense of humor, and definitely got a thrill out of terrifying people, offending them and flustering them.

It was a little odd but she found the fact he did a lot of that just because he found it funny to be re-assuring in a way. It wasn't the pain he caused that amused him either, it was the fact people who thought so much of themselves were so easy to bring down that amused him.

Cobra raised a brow "You're getting too smart Tink." He observed, sitting across from her and she smiled thinly. Being with him was going to be a challenge and she knew it, but she wanted it.

"You do huh?" He rarely missed her musings and he wasn't able to muster the alarm he'd felt powerfully on the way up to Rosegarden anymore.

Maybe that alone should worry him, but he just couldn't get there, he enjoyed being around the blonde too much, and he didn't want the distance as much anymore, being so close the last two weeks, being forced to hang all over each other had reduced his annoyance at those things.

When she slid across the cabin, pushed her arms around him, pressed herself against him and kissed him, something that two weeks ago would have had him pushing her away, this time he just closed his arms around her and pulled her across him so he could lay her down on the bed behind him and lean over her, deeping the kiss she had started.

He had lost count of how many times they'd had sex now, that first night they hadn't gotten out of the bed the whole night and through most of the next day, hadn't slept, just kept going at each other until they were forced to stop so they could shower and go meet another contact, and he'd taken her in the shower, just unable to stop.

So much for his theory that a few fucks would purge Lucy from his system, he was worse than before, so much worse now, because he knew how she felt, had gotten addicted to her and he fucking knew it.

The thing was, it had never happened before to him, no woman had ever made him want her more the more he'd fucked her. Her kisses, her touch on his body, Gods that blew his damn mind.

When she touched him his whole being savored it, yearned for more and he'd hated being touched for as long as he could remember.

That she was unimpressed by his nasty comments, felt he was more bark than bite would have really had him trying to prove her wrong to the point he would have been willing to hurt her…before. Now? If anything started to look like it was going to cause her an issue, if a man looked at her funny, he was planning how he was going to kill the guy and hide the body.

Not that thoughts like that were all that uncommon for him, it was just he'd never had them involving protecting someone else before.

Her hands sliding under his clothes, drifting over his skin, made his body respond so powerfully it made him shudder under her touch, he was already hard to the point of pain, ready to give her all she wanted of him and more, hungry for her kisses, the taste of her, her soft sounds.

His own handling of her was languid, careful, he thread himself through her soul, letting her every desire guide him, take over every part of him as he just drown in her. He'd started doing it not long after they had started this, abandoning his will to her because Lucys desires were so close to his own, just a little more needy, a little more demanding, she actually liked some rough edges to these long drawn out sessions of sex.

If he just turned his body over to what her soul wanted he found he got as much if not more out of it than Lucy did at times. It took them nearly an hour of slow play just to get fully naked, and his body was wild with need, but he was adapting to Lucys brand of sex and deeply enjoying it.

His magic made this work so well for both of them, and Gods, she was such a sensual woman, who so enjoyed his body and knew how to enjoy her own, having her guide him was like a drug.

For Lucy their intimacy was dream like, having a man make love to her who reacted instantly to her every desire almost before she herself was aware she needed to be touched a certain way or in a certain place, her body burned so much in his hands, she forgot the world while they were together like this.

He rolled her to her belly, sliding over her, his mouth lingering at the small of her back, teeth scraping over the sensitive shin at the base of her spine while his hands worked the spot right at the base of each cheek where her thigh met it at the inside of each thigh, his thumbs pressing in and drawing a long moan from her as his lips closed on the side of her right breast before playing across her shoulder and nuzzling under her hair to bite her lightly at the nape of her neck right where her spine met her skull.

It sent shivers down her body right between her legs so strong she nearly came and started wriggling, wanting, needing to feel him inside of her and he pulled her to her side, angling one of her legs so it was nearly hitting her chest and he pushed into her from behind.

The angle was intense, put his body against hers in a way that every roll of his hips made her legs separate then close a little, so she was constantly tight on him until her was near buried in her.

Her end raced toward her at this angle, his hands were reaching, teaching her body, she was so bent, so twisted she couldn't move at all, was completely at his mercy and it was delicious, mind shattering, and when her end took her she groaned at the intensity, his name spilling from her in a slurred mess.

He didn't relent though, turning her so she lay on her back as he settled between her legs and wouldn't let her come down, angled himself so he was hitting her at a point that made her streak back up higher than before and another orgasm raked through her body, this one ripping him along with it, pulling a moan from him,

He was just awed by the connection between them, how incredibly easy it was to just give himself over, how he knew every tiny thing that would please her.

He was good, had always made every woman he'd ever taken scream and writhe in pleasure even when he didn't kiss or hardly touch them beyond fucking them because he knew what they wanted to get to that point.

This was different though and it baffled him, this was deeper than he was usually able to reach even at his best, he felt things with her, didn't just hear them.

He figured that might be why, when she whispered to him. "What is this Erik?" He wasn't panicked.

"We're doing our own definitions remember?" He said as he sucked at the skin by her ear.

"If we go home…I don't want to stop." She said uncertainly and he knew she was concerned he'd walk away.

"I don't either Tink, I'm perfectly happy with this, you need to define it? How about you're mine, I'm yours. We see where we go from there." He offered, moving down to lick over one of her breasts, almost smiling seeing the bite mark there from a couple of nights ago, he had bitten her there the first time they'd slept together, then again just a couple of nights ago, not sure why in the same spot but it had felt right so he'd gone with it.

She sure had liked it, like the first time it had pushed her right into screaming his name, tumbling into a hard orgasm that had drug him with her, just like the first time.

He knew he had a couple of marks on him from her too, he'd never, ever let a woman leave a mark on him before, rarely even let them put their mouths on his body unless they were giving him a blowjob so it was another step from the norm for him that seemed just…natural, with Lucy.

He hadn't let himself think too hard about it, leaving everything undefined felt good to him, he was fine with her referring to him as hers, he liked the idea of her being his, he sure wouldn't take it well if another man tried to approach her right now, which was again, strange for him because usually he couldn't have cared less if another guy came along and took a girl off his hands, less bother for him.

If it happened with Lucy he'd probably rip their throat out and dissolve their body with toxins so he didn't end up in prison over it.

He wasn't usually possessive at all, but he felt that way with her, had even growled at a couple of men in Rosegarden for looking at her longer than he thought they should.

She'd liked it though, rolled her eyes at him and pulled his arm around her and pulled him away.

The ride to Oak Town was one long, sinful naked roll in the bed in their cabin, and they barely managed to get their clothes on in time to get off the train before it pulled away again, so lost in finishing what they were doing.

Cobra jumped from the slowly moving train and caught Lucy as she did the same, laughing.

She kissed him before he set her on her feet and it hit him then, her happiness, how much she enjoyed his company now, he felt it, though her soul didn't put it into words the feeling was there. She was falling in love with him.

It just about shut his mind down.

That dragon soul inside him, that had been so quiet practically purred. He didn't know what to do.

"Let's find a room, Hopefully Laxus calls soon." Lucy said, taking his hand and leading him from the train station into town. He followed her silently, mind suddenly tripping and struggling to wrap around what his soul was feeling with hers, the lack of panic and sneering disgust he would usually have reacted to that realization with actually did alarm him.

Why didn't he mind?

Lucy, for obvious reasons, wanted a shower before they went to get dinner somewhere and he couldn't argue, he also couldn't resist joining her, or her dropping to her knees in front of him and drawing out all the growls and sexy moans she wanted to hear from him, made him gasp out her name too, something else she never got tired of.

After he'd come and was trying to recover his ability to breathe she'd left him in the shower, smiling at him as she slid the towel around her body and went to change.

He just shook his head, trying to find some of the desire for distance and disdain for this sort of thing that had always dominated him until…well fuck if he knew when it had all just suddenly changed.

"Not nice to leave a man like that Tinkerbell." He told her, walking past where she sat on the bed and pulling fresh clothes from his bag, Gods he loved her fucking maid spirit, his bloody clothes were now clean, pressed and folded neatly in his bag. He pulled the jeans out and the black thermal and button down.

Lucy slid across the bed to lay on her stomach and watch him, reaching out and pulling away the towel around his hips.

Gods help her he was gorgeous. Nothing about the man didn't make her mouth water. She trailed a finger down his back and over one of the hard muscled cheeks of his ass, he smirked, glancing toward her.

"Am I distracting you?" She smiled innocently up at him.

"Nope." He replied instantly, pulling his boxer briefs on then his jeans and ignoring her hands. Well, he ignored them, his body however responded immediately and when she stood behind him, pressed against his back as he was pulling on his thermal, her hands drug her nails down his chest as he pulled the shirt down over his body and he shuddered in spite of himself. Growling at her in warning and she grinned, hands pushing into the pockets of his jeans, reaching to start touching the already interested part of him she was deliberately trying to stir up now.

"I thought you were hungry…" He said in a low husky voice.

She withdrew "I am…starving." She admitted, and let him finish getting dressed. When he had shrugged into his white coat she started to leave the room but he caught her, pulled her back and spun her so she fell against his chest with a gasp looking up at him wide eyed.

"I'm starving now too…you're going to feed that when we get back since you caused it…" He warned. Her heart rate jumped, he could smell how much that little warning had turned her on and smirked before he heard

 _Holy shit that was sexy_ …

They ate at a pub close to the Inn and had barely closed the door to their room when the Lacrima sounded and Lucy pulled it out quickly.

Freed smiled at her "Lucy, you and Cobra are to head for Dawn City immediately, you'll be picking up an envelope from a man there who will meet you at the train station once you switch trains there for the express to Crocus. The mans name is Dranby, you're to escort him to the Boscan Embassy, keep him safe…it might not be easy. The Express train is an expensive line and travels fast with no stops between Dawn City and Crocus. There might be…Rune Knights to avoid. Keep Mr. Dranby safe, he's very important, we need him. Laxus will be meeting you on the train too, he's already on his way." Freed said

"Ok, we still using the covers?" Cobra asked. Freed nodded "Until we get notice to stop, yes, keep it up." He replied.

"So much for sleep." Cobra chuckled, repacking his bag to hand it to Virgo and Following Lucy out. They left their key with the confused inn keeper and hurried to the train station, buying tickets to Dawn City and climbing onto another train.

Cobra sat back on the bench seat, there were no compartments on this train. Once Lucy had sat next to him he dug in her bag until he found the jar of apple seeds.

She looked at him a little curiously, smiling faintly. "You sure you should be eating those?" She teased. She didn't mind at all, the rush from the cyanide made Cobra down right fun, stripped away his inhibitions and Cobra was a flirty very fun "drunk". She just doubted Laxus would appreciate that as much as she did.

"Magic power…makes it just sing." He said "and if we're babysitting, I need it." He told her with a smirk as he tossed a handful into his mouth. God they tasted so good too. He loved the damn things.

"Did I ever thank you for these?...Oh wait…I really did didn't I?" He purred, pulling her against him and nuzzling into her neck making her giggle.

"Honey…not here." She blushed, giving the woman and young man sitting across from them an apologetic smile.

Cobra shrugged, sitting back after nipping her neck once more "Suit yourself Tink." He smirked, leaving his arm around her, it turned out to be a good thing, because Lucy fell asleep pretty quickly, head against his chest.

"Your wife is so beautiful…you're a lucky man." The woman across from them told him when she got up to leave at the Gallowstown stop. He smiled at her "I know I am, thank you." Came instead of his normal "Fuck you." He blamed the apple seeds.

As they came into Dawn City he woke Lucy and they quickly went to buy their tickets for the express line. Freed hadn't been wrong, they were expensive, more than 5 times as much as a usual ticket. They hurried onto the train, moving to the car behind the dining car which was where Freed had told them to meet the man.

Mr. Danby would look for Lucy specifically, would know the name Layla. So they sat and waited. Laxus found them first sitting across from them, looking relatively bright eyed for a man who had just spent hours on trains.

"You look…like the trains aren't bothering you." Lucy commented, she'd worked with Laxus before, he never got close to as sick as Natsu got, but trains bothered him.

Laxus held up a bottle with a purple liquid in it. "Special draft Emma made, fucking amazing. Gramps and Max got her set up in that spot we were going to make into an espresso bar. She's had the equipment for over a week now. I had to go to Magnolia to handle some things and mentioned I hated trains. Next thing I know she brings me this. One little swig and I'm good all day, the trains don't bother me at all. Better than one of Freeds stability runes." He said smiling.

"Nice..can I?" Cobra reached out and Laxus handed it to him, letting the other slayer sniff at it appreciatively. Cobra handed it back "Pretty nicely made." He admitted.

"I'll say. I'm having her keep this shit stocked for all of the dragon slayers, except you of course…asshole." He gave Cobra a dark look and Cobra grinned "Not my fault my magic happens to make me immune to motion sickness."

"So Emmas settling in ok?" Lucy asked.

"Yeah, she's making money hand over fist too, soon as the town found out there was a potion shop open at the guild it's been super busy. Wendy has started working with her, learning how to mix medicines and potions, even Porlyusica has been dropping by." Laxus said. Lucy blinked, a little stunned by that, Porlyusica usually avoided the Guild like the plague.

"Miss…Layla?" A soft voice asked and they all looked up at an older slightly heavyset man with silver hair and warm blue eyes. Lucy smiled brightly "That's me…Mr Danby? She asked. He nodded and Lucy stood, "Come with me for a few minutes Mr Danby." She led him to one of the bathrooms and stepped inside with him while Cobra stood by the door and Laxus stayed at their seats.

A few minutes later, they emerged and Mr Danby had thick brown hair and a full beard, courtesy of Cancer.

They returned to their seats and Danby sat by Laxus while Lucy sat with Cobra.

He man was very friendly, with lots of questions about their magic, especially Lucys.

"Celestial Magic is so very rare now, it's sad really, such a beautiful and versatile form." He said. He had dozens of questions for Lucy and she barely noticed when Cobra stiffened next to her, but for the fact his hand grabbed her knee way too hard.

She frowned at him but then noticed Laxus looked stricken, clenching his jaw. She grabbed her keys, looking around now that she saw every male around was suddenly frozen. Virgos key warmed in her hand and she readied herself, remaining still, leaning against Cobra, a little alarmed by how tense he was, he was fighting whatever was happening.

"Find any women and tie them up, we're looking for a silver haired little fat man in a blue suit carrying a black case." She heard a woman say. Danby now had brown hair, a beard and was wearing Jeans and a sweatshirt, his black case was stored safely in the spirit world where it was going to stay.

Lucy also, had no intention at all of letting some bitch tie her up.

Her whip came into her hand and she slid Virgo and Aries keys into her fingers. Someone could freeze up men? Fine, she'd kick their asses with her female spirits.

A young woman finally got close enough to spot them, she was pressed against Cobra, and she was in jeans and boots instead of her usual skirt because it was chilly out.

"Oh, hello sexy…hey Nirva, Got a hot piece over here for you." The girl sneered, starting to lean toward Cobra but she had a whip crack across her face followed by Lucys boot. The Blonde stepped up on the bench between Laxus and Danby, whip whirling sparking blue and orange while Virgo and Aries burst forth.

One foot on the bench seat, one on the top of the backrest Lucy was raining pain down on five women. One already unconscious on the floor of the isle was joined quickly by another, both clamped into chains by Virgo who Lucy sent to pop up behind the women while Aries pilled the isle with pink wool to prevent the women from moving well from their place by the door.

Virgo took down another and Lucy sent Aries back, snapping Gemini out.

Suddenly another Lucy was vaulting over seats hurtling at the woman in grey while the first Lucy was working trying to get her whip around the clear leader of the groups throat.

She fired some sort of fire at Lucy but the Blonde dodged it, form up, Levy…solid script glue" Lucy called and the second twin suddenly popped into Levy, who scripted a huge blob of glue over the two women, when it fell over them Lucy smirked "Solid script, marshmallows." The women were doused in a vast shower of marshmallows and were screaming, trying to move but when the marshmallows joined the sticky glue the masses of puffy sticky, sticky, and then Aries' pink wool completely immobilized them in moments.

"Thanks Gemini…" Lucy dismissed Gemini, calling out Aries to clean up most of the wool as Cobra and Laxus regained their ability to move again.

"Nice work Blondie…shit…marshmallows…" Laxus chuckled, shaking his head as Virgo clamped chains on the two very sticky, very pink women that were still writhing in sticky misery.

"Thanks." Lucy smiled, thanking Virgo before sending her back. She felt arms close around her waist and she was pulled down from where she stood up on the bench.

"Sexy as hell…damn Tink." Cobra said softly by her ear before turning to help Laxus gather the women.

"Contracted help, some dark guild for women…didn't even know there was such a thing, called Venus Core. They don't know who their client was, everything was arranged by courier." Cobra told Laxus after the marshall on the train took the women into custody.

"Leader collects men as a hobby, we'll want to do something about getting their headquarters checked out." He added.

Laxus rolled his eyes but seemed to be thinking. "I'll let gramps know, we can't call in the council or Rune Knights, we can't risk them getting the slightest sniff of us." He said.

"What about those…lacrima enhanced Rune Knights that ambushed Layla and I? What are the odds a bunch of tweaked out Rune Knights would attacks us?" Cobra asked.

"Were there four of them? All males with two women with them?" Danby suddenly asked.

Cobra looked at the man, nodding "Yeah."

Danby frowned "First test subjects for the project. They know something is happening… know somebody is on to them…if you have other field teams, you should recall them." He warned. Laxus drew a breath. Pulling out his com he called Freed "Recall everyone immediately, get everyone to head home. We'll regroup, I'll get hold of the employer and see what our next move is, for now, get everyone home including yourself." He barked. Freed nodded "Right away." And the com went dark.


	11. Chapter 11 Going Home

Getting through Crocus to the embassy was Laxus' job. Once clear of the train station he drew them into a dark alley and pulled them all in around him. "Put a hand on me Cobra, you know how this works." He snapped. Cobra growled stubbornly.

"Doesn't mean I have to like it." He snarled when Laxus put and arm around Lucy pulling her into his side and put the other around Danby. Lightning crackled around them. Laxus had been enhancing his teleports for a while, he was able to pull four people with him now and knew eventually he'd be able to safely move more but it required a hefty output of magic.

He was going to need to crack his third origin to tap the magic he'd need for many more but he wanted to get there.

A moment later he was steadying Danby while Cobra caught a staggering Lucy by the gates to the Boscan embassy.

Large Boscan guards pulled the gates open and inside a familiar tall man stood waiting for them.

"Hurry in now, they have been watching us a bit lately but then they've been watching all of the embassies, or trying to." Lucy blinked and then remembered the man. Bickslows adoptive father, Arman Pradesh the Boscan Ambassador.

They walked in and Danby bowed his head over Armans hand as he shook it, tears actually rolling down the mans face as the gates of the embassy closed behind them and a sheen of powerful magic engaged again.

"Thank you…oh Gods Thank you…" The man breathed shakily.

Arman put an arm around the man and guided him along "I'm happy to see all of you. I Just spoke to Bickslow yesterday, he's been enjoying his…"Honeymoon" quite a bit it seems. Please do come inside, I've had a good meal prepared, Lucy, Erik tells me you handle spicy fare pretty well, we'll see if Boscan dishes please your pallet as well as Encan."

Safely inside the building Armans smile became a little less forced as they all sat around a table on soft chairs.

"Now, Mr. Danby…allow me to introduce her Majesty Princess Kurino Sephalta, first Princess of Bosco, your sponsor for citizenship to our country and, the employer to all of you." He looked over them and Lucys mouth fell open for a moment.

The Boscan princess?! The woman wore very little, tall, with long black hair that fell in straight glossy sheets down her back she had sharp green eyes and a wicked smile. The thin chains that stretched over her mocha colored skin glittered with precious gems holding sheer silk in a deep emerald green sleeves and leggings while a green bikini-like top covered her ample breasts and a matching thong barely covered her womanhood.

To her left stood a tall very handsome man in snug black leather pants, a tight fitting black leather vest and black leather bracers, dark blue eyes that were too full of mischief to be menacing like the rest of him met Lucys and he inclined his head slightly, black hair falling over his shoulder.

To her right stood another tall impressive man with platinum colored hair, lavender eyes and tanned skin. He wore white and blue and Lucys eyes widened on the distinct Council insignia for a Wizard Saint at his shoulder holding his white cloak in place.

"My sons, Cristoff and Kaleb. Now, lets sit and discuss what all is happening and what remains to be done." Arman waved to the two men and the Princess took her seat before any of the rest of them did.

"Mr. Danby you will be transported via teleportation Lacrima to Aisliss, the capitol of Bosco. Our people welcome you with open arms and the Royal academy is prepared to work with you on all that we have discussed as long as you assist us in completing this current mission." The Princess said as attendants came and began serving their meal.

"Of course your majesty, I am at your service." Danby assured her.

Her eyes moved over Laxus, Cobra and Lucy, the distinct predatory heat falling away when her gaze came to the blonde and Lucy didn't miss that, a little annoyed when the woman openly admired Cobra and Laxus both.

"Now, we know the council is creating illegal magical imbuing lacrima. We've now collected more than 60 of them and of those 4 have been Draconian. We suspected the Dragons from the Eclipse gate did not all simply get pulled back into the gate upon it's closing but the Draconian lacrima have proven that conclusively." The Princess said,

"We've recovered replicant, Dark, Rock and even a Sythe one indicating Scissor Runner was used. This leads us to strongly believe the Council lied about the dragons being cast back through the gate. Rather, when the gate closed and things began to alter, they were weakened enough to be captured, teleported we believe, to some secure facility for research."

Laxus sat back in his chair, dumbstruck for a few moments. The implications of this, the depth of the deception and corruption required was just staggering, and it had been a while since the Eclipse Gate, they'd had those dragons for a while, were they still alive? Motherglare, the dragon responsible for the replicants, was it still alive? If not, what had they done to it? Had they collected offspring?

"For obvious reasons, since Bosco and Fiore share close political ties the growing tensions between Fiore and Seven are a concern for us, we are Fiores most powerful ally but relations with Pergrande, Icenburg and Seven have always been strained in spite of our best diplomatic efforts .If Fiores security as a kingdom and country are at risk because of internal corruption within the Council of Magic branch here, we want to know about it and stop it before Fiores security problems become ours more directly." Arman said.

The Princess waved a hand toward Kaleb who sat to her right, she reached over, sliding that hand into his long hair and smiling. Kaleb ignored her touches face serious.

"Our guild is extremely experienced in hunting down and handling dark magic users. Unlike Fioran guilds Boscan guilds are considered a part of the military for our country so all of our mages receive extensive combat training not just for regular work, but also so they can be integrated into large fighting forces capable of working together, forming unison raids quickly and not letting their magic use hinder the work of the regular fighting forces. We're trained for that from the beginning. I'm prepared to send you my lieutenant to help prepare your guild for what might be coming, and also assist you in finding the source of this. Hopefully it can be stopped before it becomes a major issue." Kaleb said.

The Princess smiled then "His lieutenant will also have a built in cover perfect for this." She said, reaching with her other hand to trail the back of her hand over the cheek of the man to her left.

"Your guildmates younger brother, my son Cristoff, Lieutenant Commander of White Sea. It would be simple to place him in Magnolia with Bickslow, he's visited many times over the years and that pattern is well established. His membership will be formally transferred to Fairy Tail and he will be able to offer your mages training and guidance in handling dark magics like what we believe is being used to create these Lacrima." Arman said.

"I will remain your primary contact to the Princess, and, so you know this isn't just Bosco being nosy…" Arman stood and a moment later they all bolted to their feet with the exception of the Princess.

King Thom and his Daughter Hisui entered the room.

"Your majesty…" Laxus' mind was reeling, he knew higher ups were involved in this, had known all along, but this was staggering.

"Mr Dreyar, I've spoken with your grandfather already about all of this. Whatever is happening has gotten its fingers into all of my security at the Palace. Right now, as far as anyone is aware, Hisui and I are both sound asleep. That we had to steal away from the Palace and meet here…it pains me. Hidden Hope will continue to be the cover for the union of Boscan and Fioran royalty running this, you are all to avoid issue with the Council and the Rune Knights at all costs, Fairy Tail must continue to run like normal so we want your team to remain as it is, if you need more mages involved, contact White Sea or use mages in Fairy Tail that don't usually show up on all of the complaints and damage reports the Council is used to seeing, if those suddenly stop…" The King smiled wistfully and Laxus nodded, running a hand through his hair.

"They'll suspect us instantly." He finished.

"Precisely. So keep to what you've got, low profile, no disruption to Fairy Tails usual behavior. Makarov already knows all of this. For now, return to Magnolia. We will need time to go through all of the intelligence and objects collected and see what our next move will need to be. Take jobs, act normal, I will contact you as soon as our next move is decided." Arman said.

With that they ended their dinner and Laxus, Cobra and Lucy left the Embassy, retiring to the Honey Bone Inn.

"We wait here for Freed Gray and Evergreen, who should all be here some time tomarrow. Gajeel and Levy are investigating something but once done they'll be home probably before we are. Bix and Cana are already on a train on their way back to Magnolia so just rest. We'll take the 9pm train to Magnolia tomarrow." Laxus told them, then the Lightning Slayer slung his bag over his shoulder and headed up to his room.

Cobra walked with Lucy to theirs, only mildly noting Laxus had gotten them a room with one bed, he doubted the other slayer hadn't noticed he and Lucys scents were thoroughly mingled now.

Lucy though blushed when she saw the room Laxus had gotten for them.

 _Oh God, there's no hiding from a slayers nose…Laxus knows_ …

"Don't stress out over it Tink," He said, pulling her sweater up over her head and making her turn to look at him. He knew Laxus pretty well now, had been with the Raijinshuu for a few months, the man was an arrogant ass but no worse than himself and was more interested in the family that was Fairy Tail than petty teasing or gossip, Laxus hated that shit as much as Cobra did.

She slid against him, sighing into his arms "We have bigger things to occupy our thoughts right now." He pointed out and she nodded, turning to accept her bag from Virgo who had silently appeared with their bags and sensed the mood.

"Thank you Virgo." Lucy said and for no reason beyond the fact that all they had learned tonight just overwhelmed her with dread she hugged her spirit who returned the gesture before bowing and vanishing.

"Put on your pajamas Tinkerbell and come to bed." Cobra prompted. Lucys mind was in chaos and he couldn't blame her, his wasn't much better. They were up to their damn eyes in some frightening things right now.

When the royal family was forced to hide their activities on this level…

He changed into some soft black sleep pants and laid on the bed, watching Lucy intermittently getting so lost in her thoughts she would stand for a few minutes staring until he prompted her gently to keep getting changed.

Once in her pajamas she stood holding the curtain to their room staring out at Crocus with wide eyes.

Cobra slid from the bed and came up behind her, hearing every frightened, worried thought, feeling her dread and not really sure why he could but understanding it.

She jumped when his arms closed around her but then leaned gratefully into him.

He kissed her neck, nipping at her sensitive spot behind her ear and felt her body warm, heard her heart rate increase. "Let me help you relax…" He whispered and pulled her to the bed, both of them needing the mind numbing, thought ending pleasure they could create for each other.

Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxxoxoxoxoxxo

Gajeel bent low, biting back the growl that was rising in his throat. They had watched the little dingy lowered into the water by the ship offshore, seen the two men row over to the Moonshore docks, tie the boat off and then lift out the case, carrying it down the dock.

Gajeel knew there was an SE-Plug car that had been left by a man who now lay unconscious a few feet from him a little while ago. The man had told him, under some rather extreme "duress" Gajeel had applied the car was for some men bringing something ashore trying to avoid port authorities.

Levy had already sabotaged the car, coating the moving parts with a hard sticky substance while Gajeel had gotten the information they needed. She was just behind him now and they waited until the men were under the shadows of the trees near the car before they made their move.

He'd checked the immediate area, found nobody lurking anywhere. There were houses beyond the little drive up area where people could gather before going to their little private boats but they were far enough inland it was doubtful any back up for the men were waiting in them.

They just had to deal with the two men, and Gajeel felt pretty certain they could so he dove in. The case was sealed, looked sturdy, so his Iron scale attack peppered them with barbs right before his pole arm collided with the side of the head of the one carrying the case.

The man crumpled and Levy solid script "Naked" hit the first man who screamed like a girl when all of his clothes disappeared.

"Solid Script…frostbite" She hurled and the mans skin turned blue and her fell over writhing miserably un the ground until Gajeel stepped up to him and with a disgusted look, kicked him in the head and knocked him out, turning amused eyes on Levy.

She avoided his gaze "Don't look at me like that…it worked didn't it?" She snapped, brushing iron spikes off the case.

"Yeah…surprised you wanted to see the guy naked though." Gajeel said coming up to her and smirking at her while he hefted the case.

It was heavy, whatever was inside it was dense.

Levys cheeks turned red "I did NOT want to see him naked Gajeel, I just…the frostbite would incapacitate him best that way…" She said awkwardly.

"Well you froze his dick, he aint moving right for days." Gajeel said.

"Can you get the car cleaned so we can use it?" He asked. She dispelled her spell and the substance on the car vanished while she glared at him and Gajeel tried not to show just how funny he thought the whole thing was.

It was a clever attack, he had to hand that to her, would work against any man and he almost felt sorry for the guy but still felt an odd sense of pride that his shrimp had a nasty side.

At the same time, he hoped she never used either part of that spell on him.

They drove to the train station and once Levy had checked the case over for traps or wards they opened it and Gajeel blanched as his eyes settled on what it contained.

He could scarcely breathe, he'd recognize what that was in any form.

Levy however, did not realize what they were looking at.

"Its…a rock?" She said, tapping on it until Gajeels hand shot out and caught her wrist and she froze at his expression.

"Ga…Gajeel…what is it?" She asked in a soft shaky voice.

"It's a dragons egg…"

Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxooxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

The ride to Magnolia was uncomfortable. Gajeel was beyond protective of the case and wouldn't allow anyone to sit near them and suddenly didn't give a rats ass about his cover or anything but getting that case safely to Fairy Tail.

Levy was the only thing that kept him anywhere close to grounded for the three hour ride home and she was pretty sure she prevented one mans untimely death when he ignored Gajeels growl and tried to sit across from them.

When the sword shot into the seat back right next to the mans head as he sat back, he finally grasped the Dragon Slayer wasn't kidding. Levy was all but hanging off his arm trying to keep Gajeel from standing and ending the man right there.

Once there he cradled the heavy case against his chest with one arm while carrying their bags in the other and ignored her protests he should let her help.

"Gajeel!" A familiar voice came from above them and Lily drifted down beside his partner. "Hey Lily." Gajeel acknowledged the Exceed but didn't change his pace, leaving Levy struggling to keep up.

Lily noticed and frowned "Gajeel, is there a race or something?" He asked, from the Slayers hard look her gathered something was happening, Levy didn't look particularly annoyed, more worried than anything else, so he changed the subject.

"It's been busy, a lot of job requests coming in, city guard has been augmented by the Rune Knights as of last week too." He said.

"Seriously?!" Levy said looking at Lily with wide eyes but maintaining her walk/jog so she could keep up with Gajeels long strides.

"Yes, 20 Rune Knights were given space at the guards station and they've been around some, asking questions. Makarov hasn't been nice to them." Lily said.

"Good, they got no business here, we don't need em." Gajeel snapped, but now was looking around him carefully. He stopped suddenly and stepped swiftly into the shadows of a nearby shop that was closed for the night.

He dropped their bags. "Lily, take the bags and stay with Levy, get her to the Guild as soon as fast as you can." He snapped.

Shadows moved then and Levy suppressed a gasp as Gajeel faded into them with the case and vanished.

Then she saw the Rune Knights ahead and understood. Lily took the bags and flew alongside Levy as she walked to the guild, smiling pleasantly at the Rune Knights.

"Miss? Are you with Fairy Tail?" One of them asked, stepping from the other two to approach her.

"Yes I am, I've been away on a mission for a while…why are you boys stuck hanging around Magnolia? Aside from our guild brawls every now and then there isn't much action around here." She smiled, and managed to hold it in spite of the unpleasant smile the man suddenly fixed on her.

"Not really the action we like anyway…other than a flying cat don't you have a team or partner? You seem awful small and sweet to be going out on missions." He leaned toward her and Levys stomach turned.

Lily shifted to his battle form and glared down at the leering man "I assure you I am more than enough muscle to keep my partner safe." Lily snapped, baring his mouthful of sharp teeth.

The men stepped back "Ah…well…good. You're name please Miss?" he asked.

Levy frowned then "I don't see why you need to know my name but it's Levy, Levy McGarden." She told him and saw one of the other men write that down.

"Thank you Miss McGarden…have a nice evening." The men stepped aside and Lily let Levy walk ahead of him before falling in step with her.

"They have been keeping track of everyones comings and goings since they arrived." Lily told her. Levy shook her head, walking swiftly, now impatient to reach the Guild and Gajeel.

A short time later the Guild light washed over her and she almost ran into Gajeel as he came out of the doors.

He looked relieved as soon as he saw her, reaching out for her hand and pulling her inside with him. "Levy!" Jet and Droy started to rush her but both stopped short at Gajeels hard look. "It's Ok…Hi guys." Levy greeted them giving Gajeel a firm look before hugging her team mates.

They were nothing but questions and guilt trips about being away and honestly Levy was tired, stressed to the ends of her endurance and all she wanted to do was find someplace private and quiet where she could curl up in Gajeels arms and forget about the world for a while.

Gajeel caught it, and stepped up to where Jet and Droy had drug Levy to sit and get bombarded. "Allright, I hate to break up this cute reunion but Levy and I have some things to wrap up before we can both finally get some badly needed sleep. You guys can annoy the fuck out of her tomarrow." He interrupted, completely unaffected by the hard glares both men hit him with.

"Gajeels right guys, we're not done with the mission yet, still some loose ends to tie up and we have a meeting tomorrow too so I have to help him because I really want to get home to bed soon." She begged off and they both smiled at her "Ok, don't keep her long Gajeel, she looks tired." Droy said.

"Yeah whatever, come on shrimp, lets get this over with." Gajeel snapped and Levy followed him from the guild.

"What do we need to finish?" She asked. He slid an arm around her "Not a damn thing, just have the meeting tomorrow, the Egg is in Makarovs hands. You..however…are in mine." He swept her off her feet, not even breaking stride when he did it, kissing her firmly.

She giggled, burying her hands in his thick hair and kissing him back, wrapping her legs around his waist and he stopped walking, stepping to the side and she felt it, his magic swirling around them.

"Hang on tight Shrimp, I aint getting into a fight with fucking Rune Knights tonight." He grinned and Levy hid her face in his chest as his shadows swallowed them both.

The sensation was bizarre and unsettling But she felt Gajeels arms around her, felt his body against hers still and she trusted him.

After a few minutes she was suddenly blinking at lights and they were standing in the livingroom of Gajeels house. She'd been there before a couple of times and recognized it, she let out a relieved breath. They hadn't had to deal with the Rune Knights.

She turned her attention back to the man who was still holding her and he smiled faintly, he'd let her have a few moments to collect herself, traveling in the shadows was disorienting.

Once she relaxed though, he caught her lips quickly with his, loving how she instantly melted into his embrace and kissed him back.

"Can I stay her tonight then?" She asked, smiling at him a minute later. He carried her from the livingroom and down a hall into his bedroom. "I wasn't planning to give you an option." He replied, climbing onto the huge bed and laying her back on the thick assortment of pillows and blankets.

Their kissing and touches began heated, and she pulled his shirt from him and he took her dress off of her, but it slowed, becoming something else.

Levy was worried, frightened by what was happening around them, and he knew it, he was worried too, and the only real comfort they had was Fairy Tail, and each other.

"I love you Gajeel…"She whispered, face buried against his neck, tears stinging her eyes.

His arms tightened around her, lips soft against her shoulder "I know…I love you too Levy, no matter what happens, I'm with you, I won't leave you." He said, She shivered, the strange combination of joy and worry in her nearly overwhelming.

They fell asleep that way, wrapped in blankets and furs in the crazy nest Gajeel called a bed, kissing, touching, holding each other, when one would wake they just held the other, kissed and touched until they fell back asleep, comforted by the presence of the other and trying not to think about what the next day might bring.


	12. Chapter 12 What it means

A/N parallels between how I weave LD will happen, alot of the research I've done and the way I envision Fairy Tails world will bleed from one story to the next so expect it, I hope you all enjoy this...DESNA

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Cobra came down into the inns dining area and managed to refrain from rolling his eye when Laxus caught his eye immediately.

The Lightning Slayer was busy with his breakfast and going over notes. His blue/gray eyes narrowed on Cobra as he took a seat across from him, nodding to the waitress when she asked if he wanted coffee.

"So..you're having sex with my kin…Gajeel, Natsu and Wendys kin. You better start telling me how she's not just getting your fucking rocks off for you." He said calmly, Cobra knew Laxus well enough to know that cool tone didn't mean he wouldn't vaporize who he was talking to with his next breath.

Cobra was a killer, he'd sent plenty of people to their graves, but Laxus had too, the difference was, when Laxus did it, there was no trace the person had ever been there when his lightning finished its job.

"She's not, we…well fuck I don't know what we are exactly, I think she'd categorize me as a boyfriend if I'd let her." He admitted. He'd known this was coming, knew when they returned to the guild he couldn't even hope to hide that he and Lucy had been together.

"And you'll fucking let her. Fine, Boyfriend I can accept, Boyfriend I'll even defend when the other slayers find out. Long as I see her happy, I'm on your side Cobra. You break her heart though and you better hope gramps steps in…" Laxus smiled at the waitress as she took Cobras order, refreshed their coffee, blushing and smiling back at him before she left.

His mild idea of walking back to the kitchen and bending the woman over a counter back there making Cobra draw a slow breath to control his urge to make a comment about the pot calling the kettle black, but he knew what "kin" meant.

Gajeel had explained it to him not so nicely when he'd caught Cobra looking at Lucy a little too long shortly after he'd joined the Raijinshuu.

The Iron ass had it in his head Cobra wanted to "claim" the woman or some such nonsense and made it clear that unless he was willing to do exactly that, make whatever commitment that shit meant to the Metal faced brute, he'd better keep his damn distance because Lucy was his kin.

Cobra pointing out Gajeels thoughts had gotten a little smutty when lingering on the blonde himself hadn't gone over well and the Iron Slayer had started toward him but Laxus had stepped in. Gajeel never doubted for an instant he could destroy Cobra, and the Poison Slayer wasn't even sure on that point himself after seeing Gajeel fight a few times, he was tougher than Natsu, meaner, more willing to do harm.

He'd started going off about how Cobra had better listen to his dragon and shit, whatever the hell that had all meant.

"Long as Iron Nuts doesn't lose his shit and start going off about listening to dragons I'll do fine. I won't hurt Lucy, not if I can help it." He said firmly.

Laxus narrowed his eyes "Gajeel is probably your best resource for understanding the Dragon part of you Cobra, no joking around, even I listen to him. Especially about some of the instinctual shit we have no choices about. If you don't understand them you could make some serious mistakes. He had the benefit of a Dragon teaching him that shit and unlike Natsu, he fucking listened and took it seriously."

Cobra frowned "I don't hear it, that soul…I've never heard it…well..not about anything serious. Fucking pisses me off, I can hear you, and I'm sure that waitress would love nothing more than some of your attention, but aside from when I'm with Lucy, that soul never stirs."

Laxus put his mug down, eyes suddenly sharpening and the alarm that rose in him made Cobra still. "You hear it when you're with Lucy?" He demanded. Cobra frowned "Yeah..it just pushes me with her, fuckin thing is a horny demanding devil. What, yours hasn't bugged you about a woman yet? Figured as many as you hit you'd be tuned in to it. Maybe I'm the only one who got a horny dragon soul."

Laxus drew a breath "No, mine hasn't ever stirred over…well" He hesitated, a frown darkening his face before he shook his head "No, mine hasn't done anything while I've been with any woman." He said firmly.

Cobra shrugged, feeling the confusion, Laxus was thinking about the cute little green haired woman, Emma, and how apparently his dragon HAD stirred when he'd talked with her when he'd last been in Magnolia, it wanted the woman, had made his lust kick in right in the middle of the woman telling him about the travel potion she'd made for him.

"Mine never did before either, whatever, it doesn't matter. Look, I can deal with being designated Lucys Boyfriend, much as the title makes my ass twitch, I want her happy too and we already worked out, I'm hers, she's mine so if I have to be called a Boyfriend, fine." He waved his hand as if swatting away some annoyance.

Laxus shook his head "I think we should talk with Gajeel about it when we get back." Laxus said, thinking as much about himself as Cobra at this point. The whole thing with the little alchemist back home had the Lightning Slayer a little off balance.

"Lucy ok? She's usually a morning person." Laxus asked then.

Cobra smirked, pouring syrup on the waffles the waitress had just set down in front of him "Just a little overwhelmed..NOT just by me…by everything. We were up most of the night until she could finally relax and sleep, I was tempted to just put her under she was so stressed." He admitted. It had crossed his mind around 3 that morning when she'd started pacing the room again and all but attacked him when he'd said something and she'd realized he wasn't asleep.

They'd pulled the sheets right off the bed that time, he'd actually worked to keep up with her, had worn a turtle necked shirt because she'd left a couple of nice bite marks on his neck. She'd clawed her way to the headboard, slammed him against it so hard he'd seen stars for a moment and she'd held onto the headboard behind him while she'd ridden him so hard he couldn't breathe and his body had felt deliciously bruised afterward.

He'd never thought Lucy would enjoy such rough sex, looking at her she'd never let on at all that she had that in her, but she did, and he had the aching muscles to prove it.

Another thing he really loved about her. The list was getting long. He heard her then, felt her, she was on her way down, finishing getting dressed, until that moment her presence had been beautiful music in the background of his soul but as she hurried to get ready, and thought about him, she dominated his thoughts and he focused more on her, how much she'd enjoyed last night, how she wanted to try what they'd done on her bed at home, see him naked in her shower, and then thoughts about pancakes and bacon, hot tea with honey had him signaling the waitress and putting in a order that had Laxus frowning in confusion since Cobra already had his food in front of him.

"For Lucy, she's awake, finishing getting dressed and wanting pancakes with bacon and hot tea." Cobra explained when the waitress left to put the order in. Laxus smirked knowingly at him and Cobra ignored him, focusing on his food.

Lucy appeared a few minutes later, beautiful in black leggings and a dark red sweater, her long golden hair pulled back into a loose braid that hung down her back. He smiled faintly, she'd chosen a turtle neck too, he'd left some marks on her, he gave as good as he got.

The waitress came with a plateful of pancakes and bacon just as Lucy was sitting down and she grinned as it was set in front of her along with a cup of tea and jar of honey.

"The benefits of having a boyfriend who can hear what you're wanting." Laxus chuckled. Lucy blushed and looked worriedly at Cobra who shrugged, reaching under the table to squeeze her thigh.

"It's fine Tink, Laxus knows and made it clear where I stand." He said with a sigh.

Laxus looked fondly at Lucy who smiled at him "Yep, he's your boyfriend or I break his legs, he breaks your heart nobody will find a body. He's good with the terms and I'm on his side when the others find out." The Lightning Slayer said calmly.

"Thanks Laxus." Lucy breathed, relief heavy in her voice, having Laxus on their side would help a good bit.

"When the others find out what?" Grays voice made Lucy almost cringe as she looked up to see the man walking in with Evergreen, Freed right behind them.

Laxus eyed Lucy and Cobra expectantly and Lucy decided Gray would take it best from her.

"That Cobra and I are together." Lucy told him.

Gray froze just as he was reaching to pull out a chair for Evergreen, who grinned, giving Lucy an approving nod before walking past Gray to get her own chair.

"You're what?" Gray breathed, blue eyes turning dangerously on Cobra and the air getting misty with cold around him.

"We're together Frosty, dating, seeing each other, please don't ask me to go further." Cobra replied, feeling he'd spoken pretty nicely, he'd wanted to just tell the man to fuck off and it wasn't his business, but this was Lucys team mate and he mattered to her.

Shit he was turning into a soft bitch. His hand tightened slightly on Lucys thigh and suddenly hers was on his, soothing him, how he had no idea but his irritation cooled as soon as she was touching him.

"No…Fuck, Laxus I told you teaming them up was a bad idea, you should have put him with Cana!" Gray snapped and Lucy suddenly stood, surprising everyone.

"Sit your ass down Gray, I love you but you're not going to go ape shit about this like you tend to do unless you want me throwing Juvia in your face as soon as we get home. Who I chose is up to me and me alone. Cobra is my boyfriend now, deal with it." She'd put her hand on the table and leaned over it so she could meet Grays startled gaze more closely.

Laxus neatly pulled his coffee mug out of the way before she knocked it over, kicking a chair back for Freed who took it after waving to the waitress. None of the Raijinshuu seemed even the least bit upset or bothered by the news.

"Happy you two finally figured things out Lucy, maybe you can clean his mouth up a bit." Evergreen said, smirking at Cobra who gave her a dark smile. "I like his mouth just fine Ever." Lucy quipped, making both Laxus and Cobra choke on their coffee.

"Yeah well…Lucy's like a sister to me you Poison drinking freak, and you hurt her before, tried to fucking kill her and Erza both, almost succeeded, so understand, she may have forgiven you, trusts you, but I don't, I'll be watching, first time you make her cry…" Gray warned as he took his seat.

"Yeah yeah, don't start stripping I'm trying to eat." Cobra's temper had started flaring with every word out of Grays mouth but as quick as it rose, Lucys fingers threading with his on her thigh, her pleading look sucked the fury right out of him.

So he let it go, didn't rise to Grays bait and had to admit hearing Grays frustrated thoughts over him not starting a fight so Gray could prove to Lucy how dangerous he was really was satisfying.

So was the kiss on his cheek he earned by staying in his seat. They ate in relative peace after that, Gray still glaring at Cobra but Cobra refusing to get pulled into the mans invitations to fight.

He wasn't Natsu, he really could keep himself controlled, and Lucys touch kept his thoughts from lingering on Grays irritation, he couldn't help but continually refocus on her every time her fingers moved over his. She'd scooted as close to his side as she could get, making room for Freed but also absently leaning on his arm.

Laxus didn't miss any of that, and Cobra found the other slayers observations about how easily Lucy calmed him and how when he looked at her his expression softened even when he was pissed off at Gray unsettling.

It wasn't a big deal. Lucy had a very calming soul, his found comfort in it and that was all. Hell it had been like that at the fucking infinity clock, the music in her had calmed him, kept him from killing anyone even while she was being absorbed by the damn thing.

That coupled with finding Cubellious aka Kinana had pretty much turned Cobra into a soft idiot during that whole mess.

Lucy leveled another warning look at Gray when she caught him glaring at Cobra again. She wouldn't let her friends, her family, ruin this for her.

She was honestly thrilled Laxus had just laid it down that she and Cobra were officially an item, tagged Cobra as her boyfriend and gotten the Poison Slayer to accept it. She'd been happy to leave definitions out of what was forming between her and Cobra but she found it comforting and thrilling at the same time, she had a boyfriend, the Raijinshuu and Gray knew about it now and aside from Gray, everyone accepted them.

Having Ever, Laxus and Freed on their side would help a lot when they got home. They opted for an earlier train than originally planned since it hadn't taken long for Gray and Evergreen to join them. Ever followed Lucy to the dining car where they had gone to grab lunch. The ride to Magnolia was a solid 10 hours on the train.

They'd left Laxus and Cobra playing cards while Freed read and Gray napped. Sitting across from Lucy Evergreen gave her an expectant look. "Allright, spill it, how the hell did you get a leash on him? I mean, he's been watching you, I've seen that for months, and I've caught you watching him getting all dreamy eyed plenty of times but when you two left you looked more ready to kill him in his sleep than sleep with him."

Lucy laughed and when she told Ever how she and Cobra had been maintaining their covers, and had gotten into an actual fight involving her punching the man in the face Evergreen had laughed, shaking her head.

Lucy left out the steamy details "Next thing I knew I'd jumped over a couch to tackle him planning to beat his head on the floor but…I kissed him instead…and oh God…he can really kiss."

Ever grinned "So you two…" she prompted and Lucy sighed rolling her eyes "Yes Evergreen, we've had sex. Happy?"

Ever laughed "Well my happiness doesn't matter, did he make YOU happy is the real question. I mean, all kidding aside, I love the man now, I've been around him enough I know as nasty as he acts he's really trying to be a better person and has a heart in there under all the poison. He's strong, honest on the same level of obnoxious as Bickslow just with a sharper edge to it. He doesn't care if he scares people, and he's loyal, I mean…really Lucy, deeply loyal. It's not easy to gain that from him, but once he values you, cares about you, that man would walk through hell for someone he cared about. I know Laxus made a big deal about him not hurting you, but I'm going to put it to you Lucy….if you aren't dead serious about him, end it, that mans heart is trying to heal from a lifetime of abuse and I'm feeling sister vibes for him. Don't keep going if you don't think you want him."

The sudden turn in Evergreens gossipy light demeanor shocked Lucy and she blinked for a moment before nodding and managing a faint smile "Evergreen, I don't know if we can work it all out, but I really care for Cobra now, I promise as much as he cares about me…I, I feel stronger with him, I don't know how to explain it but you saw me stand up to Gray, I usually sort of get flustered and that's why my team mates kind of run over me at times, but not when Cobra is there, maybe his 'don't back down from shit' attitude is rubbing off, I don't know, but I wouldn't hurt him, I care about him too much." She promised.

Evergreen nodded, "Ok, then I'll stand by you two, Laxus and Gray, Gajeel, Natsu, hell, most of the guild will worry about you and be threatening him, I just want you to know, I'm on his side, he's one of my boys now and I'm a protective sister."

Lucy grinned "Evergreen and her man harem."

Evergreen grinned "Damn right, Levy isn't the only one who can keep that shit going!"

They pulled into Magnolia just before 7pm and Laxus looked at them "Meeting tomarrow night as long as Bixy and Cana get in on time. Till then get some rest, I'm going the fuck home." Laxus declared. A few minutes later the rumble and crack of thunder made it clear he'd meant that.

"I hear my bathtub calling me, see you all tomarrow!" Evergreen said "I'll walk with you Ever." Freed added, falling in step with the Fairy mage. Gray gave Lucy a look "I'll walk you home Luce." He offered. She shook her head smiling "No, go on Gray, I'll be fine with Cobra."

Grumbling the man turned and left them.

Lucy looked at Erik who smiled, pulling her into him "So, about those ideas you had this morning…" He said softly. Lucy frowned slightly then the thought came to her, she'd been thinking how deeply enjoyable it would be to try what they had done at the hotel on her own bed, and just how much she wanted to see that tall tanned body naked in her shower, why there she had no idea but it had just been a tasty little thought she'd had that morning among others she now knew he'd seen right along with what she'd wanted for breakfast.

"I think I want to pursue those…" She admitted and he smiled, kissing her lightly.

Xoxoxoxoxxoxoxoxxoxoxoxoxxoxoxoxxoxoxxoxoxoxxoxoxoxxo

Lucy stirred slowly, the soft growl that rumbled beside her made her smile and open her eyes.

Erik lay beside her in her bed on his stomach, one arm dangling off the bed the other under the pillow. The blankets were pooled by his hips, giving her a clear view of his broad back and all of the horrific scars all over it.

She'd run her hands over them, drug her nails down them many times now, even saw some fresh red marks shed left on him last night that made her smirk wickedly.

She'd never looked at them though, had never had the chance to. The shapes varied, most she knew where from a whip but some of the others looked…worse.

"They were. Brain was creative. Determined to break each one of us and keep us broken so we served without question." He voice was deep, husky with sleep. He turned his head so he could look up at her where she was sitting up beside him.

"You're amazing." She said softly, pushing a hand through his thick hair and he frowned at her.

"I don't think so…and what happened to put those scars on me I'd rather not think about…" His arm came out from under the pillow and caught her, dragging her down and pinning her while he slid over her and she giggled as he kissed his way into place above her, settling between her legs and slowly moving his hips.

His movement slid his hardening member right over her core and he started a slow motion that drew a groan from her as his erection teased her and made her body rapidly heat up.

Gods it took almost nothing anymore, just a few moments of a touch, a kiss, a languid caress and she was almost panting for him, drenched and eager and aching. She just didn't have the experience to know if that was normal or not but it was mind blowing to her the depth of Cobras effect on her when he touched her.

She clung to him now, hungrily dragging his mouth down to hers, momentarily surprised, he'd just woken up and his mouth, god he tasted like candy. It had to be the Poison Slayer thing that did that, when he breathed his breath smelled sweet all the time, candy-like.

His arms were around her, but he managed to move so his hard erection found her entrance and with a moan he thrust into her. Her body was still sluggish from just waking up, but her nerves, her senses were wildly alive very quickly as he started moving harder, his hips snapping so at the end of each thrust he drove in hard.

It wasn't rough, last night they'd been rough, wildly so, her headboard was missing a slat of wood because she'd broken it out using it as leverage while she'd been riding him.

This was just heart racing, easy, blood pumping good morning sex. Him slowly fucking her while he kissed her, his kisses so deep they almost distracted her from the feeling of him moving inside of her, his naked body sliding against hers, full contact. He slowed, propping himself on his elbows, pulling back to just look into her eyes as he slid in and out of her.

She could scarcely breathe it felt so good.

When he dropped his forehead to hers and one arm slid under her hips to pull her harder against him with every thrust, to tilt her a little so he came deeper into her body her end rushed at her and she ground herself against him, moaning wantonly, hands grabbing at his ass, clutching at the hard muscle there as it flexed under her harshly gripping fingers bringing a deep mind clearing orgasm that raked through her and made her moan out his name moments before he shuddered in her arms and breathed hers "Lucy.."

"Ohh…Gods…that was so…good." Lucy moaned, her heart rate finally starting to stabilize after a few minutes.

He was still on top of her, holding himself up on his elbows, still buried inside her, kissing her neck, nibbling at her ear.

"How bout we try that naked in the shower thing?" He suggested, his hot breath on her ear making her shiver in delight and smile.

"Oh yes please…"

Shower sex with the Poison Slayer was then permanently on her favorite things in life.

Walking toward the guild for a late breakfast brought an unexpected encounter that had Lucy flirting with panic quickly.

"Luce! You're back!" There was no mistaking Natsus voice, or the blue exceed that flew delightedly into Lucys arms. Cobras eye narrowed and a low growl that surprised even him erupted from him the moment Natsus arms closed around Lucy.

Kin…Natsu and Lucy are kin he reminded himself, not sure why the fuck he would even think that mattered. For some reason, the draconic side of him though was beyond pissed, beyond aggressive and wanted to protect Lucy from this unattached male. He knew Natsu didn't have a woman, but the dragon sensed it, and it was pissed off this other dragon was touching Lucy.

Natsu froze, eyes wide and locked on Cobra, shockingly, he pushed Lucy away from him and backed up a few steps.

"Luce…you and Cobra…" He said softly, watching Cobra carefully. The Poison slayers lip slid up, letting a sharp fang show, and the the fact dark purple scales covered the mans hands and claws dripping poison that started to melt the cobblestone where it hit didn't escape the Fire Slayers suddenly very keen senses.

"I know Natsu, It's ok, we're together, he's very good to me." She said uncertainly, watching what was happening with no small amount of alarm.

"You happy?" Natsu asked, not taking his eyes off Cobra for an instant. "Natsu…what's happening…why aren't you hugging Lucy?" Happy asked.

"Yes I'm happy Natsu…It's ok." Lucy told him and it registered then, Cobra was instinctively reacting to Natsu and Natsu knew it. Cobra was putting himself between her and Natsu too, slowly stalking toward Natsu who kept giving ground without complaint.

Lucy put both hands on Cobras shoulders then wrapped her arms around him. She could feel his heart beating swiftly, feel the vibrations of another growl.

"Skin Luce… you gotta touch skin.." Natsu said softly and she frowned but pushed her hands under Eriks shirts so her fingers slid over the warm skin of his firm stomach.

He stilled, no longer pulling toward Natsu and Lucy saw the claws vanish, the scales slide back beneath his skin.

Lucy slid around in front of him and he looked confused, frowning and looking from her to Natsu. "Erik…what was that?" Lucy demanded. He shook his head and looked at Natsu.

Natsu stood up straight, frowning a little "Well, can't say I agree with your choice but damn Luce, you should have told me, warned me or something." He chuckled as he stretched to relieve the tension built up in his body from the last few minutes.

"What are you talking about Salamander?" Cobra demanded, he was totally at a loss as to what the fuck had just happened.

"You're in the middle of mating you fucking dumbass, and with MY fucking kin without saying shit to any of us before you sunk your fucking fangs into her." A voice much deeper than Natsus came from behind them and Cobras arms closed around Lucy as he turned.

Gajeel stood about 30 feet away, holding Levy firmly to his side glaring hard at Cobra.

Somehow, inside him, the same thing that had driven him to want to kill Natsu wasn't as harsh when Gajeels presence came to bear. It still rose though, and he tensed, every part of him readying for combat.

"Gajeel, let me go!" Levy was trying to push free but Gajeel didn't budge "Stop it Shrimp, stay by me damn it." Gajeel snarled and Levy looked up at him in wide eyed surprise.

"What the fuck are you talking about Metalface?" Cobra growled.

Gajeel snorted "Fuck…nobody's taught you a fucking thing and you've never bothered to look into it, you're worse than fuckin Laxus. You've marked her you idiot, I can smell it and so can Natsu but you haven't finished it…how many times had you bitten her, swallowed her blood?" Gajeel demanded.

Levy froze, gaping wide eyed over at Lucy who was flustered, confused and a little afraid. Three Dragon Slayers were faced off, Lucy was in the middle, and all three were ready to fight. Especially Cobra, whos low frightening rumbles were still coming with almost every breath.

Cobra frowned "Twice." He replied, not sure why he was answering but something about Gajeels demeanor, along with the fact that his own behavior was scaring him and he knew it was terrifying Lucy. If her hands weren't still on him…clamped tightly around his waist, he probably wouldn't even be coherent, he hadn't been when he'd been stalking Natsu.

Gajeel shook his head "You two need to go somewhere and finish it, if that mark has healed you need to set it, one more bite and the process is complete, then you'll be able to be out in public without being a walking fucking bomb."

"What process, what are you talking about Gajeel?" Lucy demanded. Gajeel groaned, running a hand through his hair.

This pissed him off, Laxus was the same fucking way, had only recently gotten better about it. Second gen slayers seemed to not give a shit about what came with the Dragon soul they had inside them, didn't even seem to occur to the fuckers to look into it.

Now, because Cobra didn't know how his own magic worked or what his instincts were capable of, Lucy, sweet loving forgiving beautiful Lucy was two thirds mated to Cobra and neither one of them had a clue.

Forget that meant Cobra had been fucking Gajeels kin, rutting with her in secret, that was a whole different issue.

"Mating Cobra, you dumb fuck, you've started mating with Lucy, set two bites into her, one more and that's it, you two are mated, soul deep for eternity. Your Dragon magic creates the bond whether you're aware of it or not, whether you want it to or not, that's why it would have been a good idea a long fucking time ago to learn a little about how Dragon Slayer magic worked, the instincts and everything that comes with having a dragons soul inside you!" Gajeel was furious, shadows starting to swirl around him, alarming Levy but his grip on her was firm.

"FUCK, I can't believe this shit! Bunny if he pushed you, seduced you, tell me, tell us…Natsu Laxus and I, we can end this, end him and free you still." When Gajeel said it Cobra growled low, trying to pull Lucy behind him. They wanted to kill him? He wouldn't have Lucy hurt, he'd take them with him. Lucy gasped, when she realized what Gajeel had just said terror and pain shot through every part of her, Cobras reaction was instantaneous, he'd been pushing her behind him protectively but his attention snapped right to her, he felt it, her fear, panic.

 _No! No I can't lose him, this isn't right_!

She pushed past Cobra and stood in front of him, allowing him to do no more than put his arms around her, glaring defiantly at Gajeel "You'll have to go through me! You're not ending anyone Gajeel Redfox! Not for my sake!"

"Yeah I think we can pretty much rule that out." Another voice carried from Natsus direction and Lucy glanced away from Gajeel seeing Laxus and the Raijinshuu coming up by Natsu.

"Great, Laxus, you know what this prick has done to Bunny?" Gajeel snapped.

Laxus shrugged "Nothing she didn't want him to, and sure as hell nothing worth threatening the life of a guildmate over Metalface."

Gajeel heaved a sigh, looking down at Levy who was glaring at him, she didn't understand the reason he was acting like this and he knew he'd have to explain it all, if for no other reason than his own woman needed to understand.

"If Poison prick can keep his claws to himself and control his dragon, that is going to be losing its fucking shit being around three other unmated males with Lucy present, I can tell you dumb asses what's going on." He growled, trying his best to keep threat out of his tone but he had Levy right there and even though he hadn't sunk his fangs into her, his dragon still had serious problems with this whole situation.

"I'll be fine…" Cobra growled, glaring back at Gajeel, arms tight on Lucy he couldn't stop himself from pressing his face into her hair, breathing in deep because the moment her scent washed over him he could breathe better, think better.

Her hands were clutching his forearms tightly and she was shaking, scared to death that men she cared for, adored, were about to fight each other with deadly intent because of her.

"It's not your fault Tink... I don't know what Metal ass is on the rag about, but it's not your fault, whatever it is, his beef is with me." He soothed.

"Just touch him Luce, hold his hand, skin on skin…" Natsus voice was still soft, careful, through this whole thing he'd handled himself better than any of them and Lucy looked at her best friend gratefully.

She reached and caught one of Cobras hands, lacing their fingers together tightly and felt herself calm just as he did.

"Allright, lets get to my office, we're going to need privacy." Laxus said firmly.

The slayers kept a healthy distance from Cobra, and he had to admit, even when Laxus got too close he felt rage rise up in him, Lucy seemed to sense it though and would squeeze his hand and look at him and he'd calm, more than a little disturbed at the profound amount of power her presence had on him and just how…out of fucking control he felt.

Once in the office Laxus took his seat behind his desk, Cobra sat at Lucys insistence in the large chair in the corner while Gajeel sat with levy on the couch on the opposite side of the room and Natsu went to the opposite corner of the room from Cobra and Lucy, calmly but intently watching every move the Poison Slayer made.

Evergreen, and Freed remained outside to keep anyone stupid enough to come up to the second floor from getting near the office.

"Ok, how bout you explain why you're ready to kill a fucking guildmate Gajeel?" Laxus prompted.

Gajeel drew a breath, noting how Levy was pointedly sitting on the far end of the couch glaring at him expectantly.

"Cobra bit Bunny girl, has been clearly fucking her, and has, while fucking her, bitten her twice now, drank her blood when he did it. I realize you and him don't know shit about how your Dragon Soul can control you, how the instincts and everything that goes with that soul will work whether or not your arrogant asses want them to, you both believe you've got choices, can control it, but you don't, there are certain things that once you do them, that's it, no more choices, no more control and Poison prick just crossed one of those lines." He said.

Laxus frowned but said nothing and Gajeel continued.

"Dragons mate for life, they take one mate, a match that their soul pulls them to, that completes them, compliments them, balances them, and that's it. They go through a mating process, you all know what mating season is, every one of you knows every year you have to get the fuck away from everyone for a week or two or you'll do things, hurt maybe even kill people, well, that's your Dragon soul, building your need for a mate, driving you harder every year to find her and every year that season gets harder to get through until you do that."

He looked hard between Laxus and Cobra, he knew Laxus retreated, even knew he had a house someplace he'd been going to since he was 16, just like Gajeel had his little spot in the mountains and Salamander had some spot on a river somewhere he went. He wasn't sure what Cobra did, this was the first year the man would have gone through a mating season as a member of Fairy Tail.

For all he knew, the bastard might have just ignored it and killed people, he knew the Poison Slayer had a hefty past that included killing plenty of people, he couldn't say much, he'd taken a lot of lives when he'd been in Phantom Lord.

Cobra was glaring at him, Lucy sitting in his lap, running her fingers idly through his hair with one hand while the other held one of his hands, his other arm was around her waist, holding her against him. He had to give it to the man, he was keeping his shit together and Gajeel wasn't sure he'd be able to do that were he in Cobras position…though…he though bitterly, he wouldn't PUT himself or Levy into that position. Over his dead body would he endanger her or anyone he cared about like Cobra unwittingly had.

"So to claim a mate, to set the bond that will tie the two souls together permanently, there's a process, instinct will force it on you like it or not, you'll want to, need to, lose your ability to think particularly if you have sex with the woman your dragon wants as your mate. It will force you to act, your fangs will grow, itch, burn and all you'll think about is possessing her, claiming her, setting your mark into her. You do that by biting her right at the end, when she's in an orgasm, your dragon will make sure that's when because it will lessen the pain of the bite and the rush of your magic pumping into her, hers going into you through her blood."

"After the first bite, if you don't want to complete it, don't want to make her your mate, it's possible to stop it, you just sever all contact, never touch her, the mark fades away after a few months and then its done, over, like it never happened. The magic won't make it easy, both you and the woman will be driven half mad wanting each other, you'll get sick as fuck, weaker women, slayers, can even die during those months, but after the first bite, you can still stop it. You bite her twice more to complete the process, it has to be spread out because the bond has to form, the magic has to adjust, and while you're in the process…you'll be driven half mad with lust, both the Slayer and the woman, and dragon lust is soul deep, you can't fight it."

Cobra frowned "After the second bite…can it be stopped?"

Gajeel glared at him, shook his head "No. Once the second bite is set you either mate or both of you die, there's been too much exchanged at that point, the magic is setting, the souls are bonding, you've got to be feeling it by now, knowing where she is, how she's feeling, sex gets better because you start sharing the experience on a deeper level, whether you like it or not, you, Poison prick, start adapting to your mates needs, you have no control over it at all, you'll both start gaining the others strengths, balancing each other. You've been feeling that, you can't say you haven't."

Cobra sat silent, he could feel Lucy, hear her semi-panicked soul. He could FEEL her, like he'd felt her happiness the morning at the inn.

 _He's going to be furious, he doesn't want me…God…what are we going to do? He'll kill us both because he won't accept this, won't accept me_ …

Her frightened thoughts hit him hard, she really thought he'd be willing to kill them both instead of bind himself to her?

Holy hell the woman was any mans dream, gorgeous, smart, bright with a soul like the sun, he was expecting her to be the one willing to throw herself off a cliff rather than be stuck with his sorry ass.

He had nothing to offer her, people didn't like him, he wouldn't let them. He rented a room from a friend, didn't even have his own home, had been saving to change that but he'd only been with Fairy Tail for about 8 months now.

He had a nightmarish record, had been involved in efforts to kill her twice was an emotional wreck and…he winced inwardly, he couldn't have children. Gods…Lucy deserved children, deserved to be a mother, but Brain had done it to all of the Oracion Seis, when his lacrima had been implanted he'd literally been fixed, a mastectomy done so he couldn't have his loyalties pulled away from Brain by a child.

Unlike the others, he couldn't have it reversed either, the Lacrima made it so no anesthesia could work on him, he couldn't go through a surgery. It was why he didn't bother with doctors, had learned to stitch himself up when injured, infections were impossible, the toxins his body was capable of producing wouldn't allow bacteria to grow, if one started the lacrima just pumped poisons through him to destroy it, he drank plenty of bleach, it was one of his favorite drinks.

Still…he looked at her, she was nervously clenching his hand with hers, fearing his rejection, afraid she was about to face death.

"I wouldn't let her die asshole, planned or not, Fuck…being bound to Lucy…" He said.

She had turned to look at him, tears in her eyes, her deep golden brown gaze locked uncertainly on his.

"I mean, what kind of an idiot would I be…wouldn't surprise me though if she were willing to off herself to avoid being bound to me." He chuckled bitterly.

Lucy stared at him for a moment then jerked in his lap so she could twist and throw her arms around him, hugging him and he could smell the tears.

"I wouldn't…I want you you fucking ass…" She whispered against his ear, God help him a shudder ran through him, his whole body reacting to her and he had to rein that shit in quick because the other slayers were watching them intently.

He was lucky Wendy was off on a mission with Erza because Wendy would have really made this whole thing hard, he couldn't resist that kid, he was doomed, now Lucy had so much control over him it terrified him, but he wasn't going to let it endanger them, not now that he knew.

"So you'll finish it, make Bunny your mate? You better take seriously good care of her…" Gajeel warned.

"If she's willing, I mean I may not be a much better choice than death…" He sighed, Lucy laughed, kissing him, and he was better, safe, she wanted him, and even if it was just Dragon magic making her want him, he wasn't a fool, he'd take it.

"Aint that the truth." Gajeel snorted.

"I'd be looking for a cliff to jump off." Laxus agreed.

"Fuck off, both of you, you're lecturing me while little blue is sitting there worried you're gonna get tired of her and find someone with bigger tits," Levy actually made a strangled gasping noise.

Cobra growled, eye flashing to Laxus "You don't even know what the fuck you're gonna do, take Emma out on a damn date you stupid fuck and you Salamander? Get off your dumb ass and start thinking about women, you can't fish and fight your whole fucking life."

Natsu grinned his brilliant grin "I bet I can." He laughed. "Worked for Gildarts." He added. Cobra narrowed his eye "Yeah? Gildarts has a daughter, he's at least gone that far, and the man bitterly regrets a lot, wishes he could find a nice wife and settle his wandering ass down."

Natsu grin only faltered a little and he shrugged "Well, I'll figure it out, Igneel told me when the right woman comes along for me I'll know it, you sure acted on it, proved him right, you're a jerk and you still got the best woman I know." He said lightly and Cobra couldn't argue, though he glared at the younger slayer.

"Allright, Natsu, get the fuck out, I have to talk to these jackasses and you can't be in here for it. Freed!, Evergreen get Gray in here!" Laxus said, done with the whole issue, Cobra and Lucy would take care of themselves, he wanted to get this out of the way and would talk to Bix and Cana when they got in in a couple of days. They had been way up in the North when they'd been recalled.

Natsu rolled his eyes, winked at Lucy but didn't make a move toward her as much as he wanted to, until Cobra finished claiming her, it just wasn't safe and Natsu had known it the moment he'd smelled the couple.

Once he was out and Ever had brought Gray in Freed shut the door and waved his hand to activate all of the runes sealing the office so Natsu, no matter how he tried to eavesdrop, wouldn't be able to.

"Ok, so we're on a break, our employers…the fucking King of Fiore and the high Princess of Bosco, want us acting normal. So everyone take jobs, get back to how you usually do shit, Raijinshuu, we're off on a job as soon as Bixy is back and has had a day to rest and get his shit together. We have Bickslows brother coming to help us, Gray, I think only you and Cana haven't met him. Cristoff is a Lunar Dragon Slayer from Bosco, first lieutenant commander for the biggest guild in Bosco, White Sea. Loads of combat training and a specialist in hunting dark magic and guilds. He's also a really powerful healer, Wendy is gonna love meeting him. " Laxus shook his head, he often derailed a little and got soft when he thought about Wendy, that kid had the whole guild wrapped around her finger including him.

"So relax, act normal, Lucy, you and Cobra are probably going to need a little time, I get that, but you both need to…well…take care of things so you can get back on track, I need you both."

With that Laxus dismissed them, and Lucy waited until everyone had pretty much filed out, except for Gajeel Levy and Laxus, the Dragon Slayers knew better than to crowd past Cobra right now, and Levy was still blushing pink since Cobra had outed what she'd been thinking.

"Take him home Blondie, we won't say anything until you're ready to let the guild know." Laxus said.

"Go straight home too, Cobra can't run into any men right now, I'll keep Gray here, he looked like he wanted to give you two shit." Laxus rose and Lucy and Cobra left, hurrying back to her apartment.

The whole walk they were both on edge, Lucy worried they would run into someone, Cobra more than a little overwhelmed by what he was about to do.

He was still floored Lucy wasn't really upset, he couldn't figure out why she wasn't, it had to be the dragon magic.

Once she closed the door she looked at him almost shyly.

 _Now what…do we just…jump each other? I want him, fuck, who am I kidding I always want him! It just feels so strange…forever…like we're getting married_ …

He reeled a little from that, hadn't thought of it that way but she was right, Gajeel hadn't been lying, Cobra had been praying for lies and had heard every whisper from the Iron Dragons soul, this was very real, they really had to go through with it and it was forever.

"I'm sorry…for all of this." He said then, and meant it. It was his magic doing this to them, his lack of knowledge about it that had put them where they now stood. He'd been driven to bite her the first time, felt compelled to do so, and now knew why, his dragon soul wanted Lucy as his mate.

The first bite they'd both enjoyed so much though the second had been something they'd both wanted. Neither knowing the significance.

"I'm not…I mean, I think I would have liked more time before this, and I would have liked to have gotten to think about it, make the choice, but…" She looked at him.

He really was handsome, wickedly smart, his compassion was a little twisted but it was there and he'd been working to make himself a better man since he'd joined Fairy Tail. She'd noticed, had half lusted half just crushed after him for months now, had it not been for his attitude, she would have made an effort to talk with him before they'd been brought together by this mission.

Now though, even that attitude just seemed like a part of him that held a dark attraction for her. Maybe it was the dragon magic, adapting her to him, making it easy to fall for him so she could be happy with her mate, but she didn't care what was making it happen, she felt what she felt.

Right now, she felt like he needed to be naked.

He chuckled, shrugging his coat from his shoulders and tossing it over her couch, his hand pulling his shirts free from his pants and lifting them off over his head as he started toward her.

She was grinning now, pulling her sweater off over her head "Come on dragon…make me yours…" she teased and he growled, thrilling her as he stalked her back to her bed, reached past her to lock the window and yank the curtains closed because he'd caught that fucking blue cat thinking about coming to check on Lucy as they'd left the guild.

Nearly an hour later they were tangled in the sheets they'd ripped free from the bed, Cobra felt sweat sliding down his back, his breathing coming in ragged labored gasps as he pulled Lucy from her knees and laid her down on her back, sliding down into her arms, feeling her searing heat take him again as he thrust back into her and settled between her legs, they were both at the edge now, he felt it, all of it, forever, hanging right there.

He was barely holding on, his fangs ached, the dragon in him was stronger than it had ever been and he met her eyes, saw her encouragement, approval, acceptance, all of it, and she bit her lip, his thrusts making her mind stall.

"I'm yours…make me yours…"she gasped out and he let go. Dipping his head as he thrust hard into her again, hard enough they both teetered and then he sank his fangs into her skin, right over where he had before at the top of her left breast. It pushed them both over, he felt her climax with his own as her blood flowed over his tongue, felt it all, the souls meshing fully, her sweet music threading through him.

The intensity was mind blowing and they both lay holding onto each other weakly as it all washed over and through them until they were left panting, breathless, hearts racing and bodies utterly spent.

"You're mine…." Cobra said, pulling her closer against him, laying on his side so they could get their arms around each other because she wanted to hold him as much as he did her.

"Mmm so yours, and you…Peter Pan…are mine." She replied.

He smiled, faintly and felt Lucy suddenly gasp. "She looked at him, her shock and surprise making him frown at her.

"What?"

Her eyes brightened, a grin spreading over her face, lighting her whole being "I can feel it…" She breathed and he smiled again in spite of himself "What? What do you feel?"

She narrowed her eyes and he almost pulled back warily "You love me." She breathed.

Cobra blanched, pulling back and Lucy laughed, clamping her arms around him "You do! You can't deny it! I can fucking feel it! You love me!" She cried showering kisses on him and he tried to push her off, tried to give her a nasty look but it wouldn't come, damn his fucking dragons soul, he was shoved onto his back and Lucy was on top of him, tears on her cheeks.

Her golden brown eyes just brimmed with it he gasped faintly, suddenly feeling it, it just radiated from her so powerfully he was awed, Gods help him…she loved him, he felt it, and worse, he couldn't ever hope to hide a feeling from her again, she knew he loved her. Fucking dragon magic…

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Many thanks to the reviewers who keep these stories of mine going, who drop their little ideas, requests, hopes in reviews I hope you see it when your ideas are woven into what is happening. JD, don't worry, Emma isn't background, she'll get more involved, it's coming. CoS, Music, Leoslady, Gemnika, Aprill, JH, so many of you, you have no idea how big a part you play in how a story grows when you review, well, those of you who also write on this site know it. Reviews tell a writer what they're doing is what you enjoy and want to see more of, so thank you, all of you who take that extra minute or two to do that...DESNA


	13. Chapter 13 Growing Pains

A/N. Musicera, you are solely responsible for the following chapter...DESNA

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxxooxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

"What does it feel like? I mean…being in love and kissing him like that?" Wendy asked. Erza was blushing as red as her hair and Charle was shaking her head and rolling her eyes.

Jellal had met them to help with their mission supposedly but all Wendy had seen him do was pull Erza into some very long kisses and sneak her out of the room she was sharing with Wendy and Charle.

Wendy was 16, nearly 17 (just two months away) and she knew sex when she smelled and heard it. Erza smelled strongly of Jellal and he smelled strongly of her when they had left him back in Crocus. Now they were walking to the guild and Wendy wanted to know damn it. Maybe she didn't have any clear prospects for a boyfriend but she'd been through her first mating season last spring and was more curious than ever, wanting more than ever, to have her own mate.

Just because the other slayers were taking their time about it, especially Gajeel, her beloved kin had his mate picked out, she KNEW he did, he'd wanted Levy since before they had been trapped on Tenrou a few years back. She'd never understand why he was dragging it out like he was.

Levy sure wanted him, the womans heart raced every time she caught sight of the Iron Dragon, Wendy rarely missed things like that.

"Maybe you should kiss Romeo and find out." Erza smirked. Wendy rolled her eyes. Romeo was her friend, had been her friend for a long time, was still her friend, like Natsu was Lucys friend. There was no romance there.

Sure he was cute, sure other girls had started noticing him, chasing after him, she teased him a lot about it, but he didn't see her that way and she didn't see him that way. It was strange but Wendy just felt differently, she had talked with Gajeel and Porlyusica about it, how she just knew Romeo wasn't for her, felt like there was someone for her but it wasn't him.

Gajeel had sighed, ruffled her hair that she now kept at a length just below her shoulders. She at least had a chest now, she hoped it gained a little more size, she wasn't quite done growning, Porlyusica said as a Dragon Slayer she would still probably grow for another year. She hoped her body focused on her chest for that year.

While she'd been in a sort of stasis on Tenrou for 7 years, Poryusica had told her Dragons matured with time whether their bodies did or not, so Wendys growth in maturity exceeded her bodys because her mind hadn't been inactive those 7 years, the dragon soul had kept it working. She remembered none of it, but deeper parts of her did.

"I'm not interested in Romeo that way Erza, unless you think he's hot somehow I can't see how you should expect me to." Wendys quip caught the re-quip mage by surprise and the older mage sighed.

"It feels so incredible I could never hope to describe it Wendy. I love Jellal beyond his physical side, his heart, his soul, everything about him calls to everything about me….really, it always has, even when we were children." Erza said softly.

"So you knew, all along that you loved him?" Wendy asked

Erza shook her head "No, there was a time I hated him, a long time. Then for a while I thought he was dead. It wasn't until Nirvana that I knew he was alive, and then, for a time after the Grand Magic Games I thought he was…in love with someone else and it crushed me. It wasn't until recently that we have sorted things out." She admitted.

Wendy nodded. "I want love, I want to kiss like that, be looked at that way." She said firmly.

"You've got plenty of time for that." Charle said "You certainly shouldn't be rushing!"

Wendy sighed, she knew she had time, she was just impatient, and it was odd, she felt like her time was coming, like he, whoever he was, was close.

She just didn't want to miss it, miss him, she'd watched other women, women in Fairy Tail, pine over the men they wanted from a distance. Lucy had been all but drooling over Cobra, and he'd been wanting her too, but the pair had barely spoken, she was going to talk to Lucy about that as soon as she saw her for sure.

Then there was Gajeel and Levy, she didn't even know how many times she had pestered her kin about that and he always shoved her comments aside, insisting he'd act when he was ready and when he felt like Levy was. Her insistence that Levy WAS ready fell on unyielding stubborn ears.

Laxus and Natsu were also perplexing. Natsu had no interest that way in anyone, was determined to fish, fight and wreck jobs for eternity if he had his way and Laxus, well, if a woman could ever crack his wall of arrogance, she might stand a chance but Wendy, as much as she loved Laxus, had never seen any woman even come close to that, not even Mira.

It was all so…complicated. But it seemed that was how love worked, relationships were never simple. She hoped she could make hers easier than the ones she'd seen, hoped she could identify the man meant for her and not miss a moment with him, not give up years like she was watching her friends do.

Grandeeney had taught her a lot about it because Wendy, even as a small child had loved romance, and been interested and asked a lot of questions of her beloved Dragon. She did the same of all of the women she called family now, hence her pestering Erza.

They reached the guild and there were shouted greetings, lots of them and she was swept up into thickly muscled arms, giggling as the scent of storms flowed over her, Laxus hoisting her up into a hug before she was past the threshold.

"Welcome back kiddo." He rumbled and she hugged him back, stretching her toes to reach the ground as he set her back on her feet.

"Hello Wendy, was the mission a good one?" Freed asked, walking past them. Wendy grinned at him "It was, some Vulcans harassing a farming village, Erza barely needed me."

"That is not so, you were a great help." Erza called back, taking a seat at the bar, famished for some cake.

"Hiya munchkin!" A bright voice made her turn and she was swept up again by Bickslow, noting instantly the man smelled like the distinct malt liquor scent that was distinct to Cana in addition to his own usual exotic spicy scent. So those two had hooked up and Bix looked plenty happy.

"Hi Bix!" She beamed, she adored Bickslow, always had, he was fun beyond anyone else in the guild, even Natsu could barely hold a candle to him, and his wicked clever jokes and pranks always delighted Wendy.

Once on her feet again she straightened her dress and Bickslow sighed looking at her "You're growing up too fast." He declared "You're not just a little munchkin anymore…I'm gonna have to start ripping souls out of boys soon aren't I?"

Wendy narrowed her eyes on him "You'd better not, I don't plan to suffer through all the mating seasons Laxus and the other slayers have, when I find my mate I'm not waiting for years to claim him." She declared firmly.

Bickslow snorted "Yeah? Well, just understand the first boy who makes you cry probably won't live real long after that tear hits the floor."

"He'll be dead before the tear hits the floor." Laxus stated, ruffling her hair and moving past her then halting and turning to look at her. "Almost forgot, Wendy, we have someone new, a new member you need to meet. Another Dragon Slayer, Bickslow, you want to introduce them? I need to go talk to gramps."

Bix grinned and Erza turned "A new member? I would like to meet him as well." Mira sat a thick slice of cake before the re-quip mage and a tall glass of iced tea and Erza frowned at her sudden predicament.

"Call him over so Erza doesn't have to leave her cake Bixy." Cana snickered from her seat on the other side of Erza.

"Yep," Bickslow nodded looking across the guild to where Freed was just sitting down at the table the Raijinshuu usually sat at. Cobra and Lucy were there and Wendy also saw Evergreen and Elfman. "Yo! Cristoff, come here, gotta introduce you to a couple folks!" Bickslow shouted and Wendys eyes widened as a man she'd never seen before rose from the far side of Elfman, who had been blocking her ability to see him.

Tall, with black hair and the same easy smile as Bickslow. As the man crossed the hall to join them Wendys very being stalled.

"Kinda like our other Dragon Slayers, right under the definition of sex on legs isn't he?" Cana nudged Erza smirking. Wendy glared at her then returned her wide eyes to man. He was as tall as Bickslow, but built more like Gajeel with heavier muscle tone that showed easily under the snug blue shirt and black jeans tucked into black boots. When he came to stand by Bickslow his scent was similar to the Seith mage but had a fresher edge to it, like the crisp way the air smelled at midnight.

His eyes, Wendy was about lost in them, deep dark blue with flecks of silver near the center, he was exotic looking, like Bickslow, with the slightly cat-like shaped eyes and thick black lashes.

"My little brother Cristoff, he's just transferred here from his guild in Bosco, an official member of Fairy Tail as of about 30 minutes ago! He's a Dragon Slayer and heals like you Wendy." Bickslow said. Wendys eyes flashed to the Seith in shock then back to Cristoff who was accepting Erzas handshake.

"You're a healer?" Wendy breathed. He finally turned those midnight colored eyes on her and Wendy just managed not to let her breath hitch when he did.

"Not like you, but yes, I heal. My Magic works about 50/50 with it, I have a lot of offensive abilities too, but my healing is pretty far advanced, I've used it a lot." He replied. His smile really did make her heart skip a beat "It's nice to finally meet you Wendy, Nurem, my dragon, spoke highly of yours. They were rivals apparently, but respected each other."

"You're first generation? You were raised by a dragon?" She breathed.

He nodded, smiling at her stunned expression "Yes, until I was 10, my dragon didn't leave when the others did, but she did when Bickslow disappeared, when Tenrou happened and Acnalogia stirred, Nurem left, went into hiding, I don't know where."

He was 10 when Tenrou happened, technically younger than she was, though he was clearly fully grown to an impressive height and his body certainly showed no sign of immaturity.

He was making several of the women almost drool, even Mira Wendy could tell was drawn to him. The thought made her uncomfortable, almost angry.

Bickslow snorted "Yeah, when we went to Tenrou he was punier than you Wendy, I come back to this…my days of torturing him with impunity were gone."

Cristoff narrowed his eyes at his brother "Now I weigh more than you do." He pointed out. "and I hit harder."

Bickslow laughed "Yeah? Well, I can still whip your heavy dragon ass, I'm still your older brother and don't you forget it! Bad enough fucking Farron and Kaleb have."

Cristoff chuckled, shaking his head "I don't know if you could anymore Bix, we might have to try sparring some time, my ranged attacks won't let your acrobatics help you much."

His gaze shifted back to Wendy and she pressed her lips together, unsettled by him, there were things stirring in her she'd never felt before and they startled her. Cana didn't miss it, pulling Wendy over to her. "He's as big a flirt as Bixy too." She pointed out.

Bickslow grinned "Yeah that's another thing I came back to find, Cristoff's probably rivalling Laxus and I anymore so you single girls better be careful around him, but you fucking stay away from Wendy little bro, there will be a line to kick your ass if you bother her."

Cristoff laughed, it made Wendys chest tighten hearing it. "She's safe, I know better." Cristoff promised and for some reason, Wendy suddenly wanted to cry.

Why didn't anyone acknowledge her as anything other than a little child?!

She yanked out of Canas hold "I'm going home, I'm tired and need to put my things away. It was nice to meet you Cristoff!" She said, rushing past them all, Charle struggling to make it through the doors behind her. Gajeel watched Wendy come bursting out of the guild, the young dragon crashed right into him and he actually staggered back a step from the force of her hitting him.

"Wendy!" Levy gasped at his side as he managed to catch the girl and keep them both from going down. "What the hell? Wendy, you ok?" He demanded, the smell of tears was on her and when she looked up at him his heart about left his chest, fury battling with concern welled up, who had made his little kin cry?

"I…I'm fine…I'm just tired, I just got back with Erza and I want to go rest and put my things away." She hiccupped in spite of herself and the Iron Slayer glanced at Levy who was also looking deeply concerned. Decision made he swept the young woman up. "Well then, Shrimp and I will see you to Fairy Hills." He said firmly, Levy nodded, exchanging a look with him.

"Yeah, I'll be happy to help too, what's got you crying Wendy?" Levy asked, walking alongside Gajeel who ignored Wendys attempt to wriggle from his grasp.

"Nothing! I'm just tired." Wendy protested angrily, this was NOT what she wanted, she needed to think, she had no idea what was wrong with her.

"Bullshit, you smell angry, frustrated and…" Gajeel faltered, alarm shooting through him so hard he almost dropped her, he did quickly put her down on her feet so she wasn't in his arms pressed against his chest anymore. He had scented nothing short of arousal on the young slayer, and with another tentative inhale he caught it again, maybe fading a bit but holy fuck it was there!

He looked hard at Levy who frowned at his suddenly alarmed expression but had no idea what it meant. Grasping Wendys hand the Iron Slayer pulled the girl with him, Levy walking on her other side.

"Lets get you to your place kiddo, we need to talk." He said sternly and Wendy recoiled in alarm. No no no…he had to smell…oh God she was going to die of embarrassment.

Of all the people in the guild to catch her…what was she thinking, ANY of her big brothers catching that was mortifying in the extreme.

They walked silently to Fairy Hills, Charle momentarily trying to protest Gajeel entering but the Iron Slayers look silenced the exceed quickly. They went to Levys apartment instead of Wendys, Levys decision made because her door was simply closer and she knew she had tea and planned to make some.

She wasn't sure what Gajeel had caught, but she loved Wendy as much as he did and meant to help with whatever had the girl so upset.

Gajeel led her to Levys couch and pushed her to it. "Sit down and tell us why you came bursting out of the guild in tears, angry frustrated and you KNOW what else I caught so don't try to lie to me about being tired or any other bullshit, who triggered that?! Was it Romeo?" Gajeel demanded, standing in front of her, arms crossed over his chest, crimson eyes fierce on hers.

"I'll get some tea, Charle, help please." Levy said, moving to her tiny kitchen, she could still hear everything just fine, but maybe removing the number of eyes on her would help Wendy to talk.

"I…I don't know, I don't know what's wrong with me, I've never…Romeo isn't even at the guild right now, or at least I didn't see him…" She felt more frustrated angry tears.

"She's safe, I know better." Cristoff had said. As if brushing Wendy aside, as if she wasn't even a possibility, could never interest him for a moment. It had cut her to the bone, more than Bickslows threat toward his brother, she expected those, but the rejection…was it rejection? Why did it feel like that and why did it bother her like this and what had happened to her body standing there under those midnight colored eyes in the first place?!

"Then who triggered you….shit…whoever it is you must still be thinking about them." Gajeel jerked his head around and stepped back from her, shoving a hand through his hair.

How the hell did he end up here? Standing in front of a young woman that reeked of arousal anger and frustration as if she'd just met a crush or…he looked at her "WHO?!" He demanded with a snarl.

"I was introduced to the new guild member! Bickslows little brother…only he isn't really "little" is he, he's as big as you Gajeel." Wendy answered in a rush. Gajeel frowned, mind racing, last night Bickslow and Cana had gotten back and within an hour of that Cristoff, Bickslows younger brother had also arrived. They had all met, been briefed about why Cristoff had come, how it wouldn't look odd him joining the guild and how he was going to be helping them.

That the man was a Dragon Slayer had been instantly obvious, that he was also a playboy on the same scale as his brother had been joked about too. He was young, but a grown man, way too grown for Wendy!

"Cristoff? You got all hot and bothered over Cristoff?! You have any idea what a player that man is?! Did he hit on you?! I'll fucking kill him…" Gajeel slammed his fist into his palm and Wendy shrieked, shaking her head wildly "NO! Damn it, NO! He didn't do anything, just said it was nice to meet me when Bickslow introduced him and shook Erzas hand, he probably has no idea how…he effected me…I don't even understand it…Gajeel, I'm almost 17, I've been through a mating season, you and the others have GOT to stop being so protective!" She screamed.

Levy came out setting a tray down with a pot of tea and glaring at Gajeel then at Charle because she knew the exceed was equally guilty of endlessly stepping on the growing young woman.

"She's right, all of you slayers do it, you too Charle, you all treat her like she's still the scared little 12 year old she was when she joined the guild, it's like you don't want her to grow up." Levy said, meeting Gajeels blazing eyes firmly.

"I'm just trying to keep her safe." Gajeel grumbled.

"I have the childs best interest at heart!" Charle said almost at the same time.

"She isn't a "Child" Charle, she's a young woman and you need to stop saying that, you MUST stop calling her a child, you're hurting her every time you say it." Levy snapped.

Wendy looked at Levy with wide hopefull eyes, God someone actually understood?!

"Have you seen Cristoff? He's as big as me Levy, guys 20, and I doubt even he could tell you how many women he's fu…uh…slept with. Shit, last night Laki was flirting him up pretty hard and the guy had just gotten in, now he's in the guild, you heard Cana last night, Sorcerers weekly did a piece on his guild back in Bosco and made him the damned centerfold! He's got women falling all over him, Wendy doesn't need that, she needs someone like.." Gajeel was waving his hand and Wendy glared at him.

"If you say Romeo I'm going to roar you through that wall Gajeel." She snarled. Gajeel looked at her in shocked surprise, she'd never threatened him before. He didn't even know Wendy was capable of thinking of threats.

Levy shook her head, reaching out to touch the baffled Iron Dragons arm "Why don't you go down to the guild and get a drink, I think Wendy needs to talk with someone a little more feminine." She chuckled "If you see Lucy, send her up here, maybe Cana, just not Erza, we don't need another person defending Wendys honor making this harder."

Gajeel frowned, he had no intention of walking away until he was sure Wendy was allright, the rather horrifying concept of her getting attracted to a grown man, especially one like Cristoff, swept from her innocent young head…permanently if he had his choice.

Levy smiled up at him, finding his protectiveness endearing even though she knew it was misplaced. "I mean it Gajeel, go to the guild, send Lucy and Cana if you see them but you're done here, this is a womans territory." She said again, firmly, curling her fingers in his shirt and pulling until he leaned down, he accepted her kiss, returned it and sighed, straightening a minute later and eyeing her doubtfully.

"Allright, I'll see if Bunny and the drunk are there." He said.

"And leave Cristoff alone, he has no idea this happened!" Wendy said, Levy nodded her agreement to that, giving Gajeel a hard warning look and he rolled his eyes "Fine, whatever…" Turning he left, retreating to the guild he did find Lucy sitting with Cobra and Cana at the bar hanging on Bickslow.

His eyes narrowed on Cristoff, the tall slayer handling both his brother and Cana teasing him with grace that was a little surprising from a slayer but Gajeel left him alone. "Shrimp needs you for something drunk." He told Cana, and told Lucy the same thing a minute later, sitting heavily beside Cobra who stilled, watching his mate leave for Levys and hearing the turmoil in the Iron Dragon.

"Shit man, you sure a beer is strong enough?" He asked, watching Gajeel take a long drink.

Gajeel shook his head, glaring at the tankard "Probably not."

Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxooxoxoxoxoxooxoxoxoxoxoxoxooxoxoxoo

Cana gaped at Wendy and laughed "Oh my GOD! Oh little sister, I have a new respect for you, shit, if you're going to pick a way to get started with men that man is one incredibly tasty way to go!"

Wendy blushed crimson "I haven't picked anything! I just…got excited when I looked at him…that's never happened to me before!" She said in a frustrated tone.

"Well, you'd have to be dead not to get turned on looking at that fine thing. If he's anything like his brother he'll know just how to make you happy too." Cana replied grinning.

"He doesn't see me that way anyway, thanks to Bickslow, and if the other guys have any say it will stay that way." Wendy sighed, it was hopeless, she didn't even know what the feelings were she was dealing with, over an hour talking with Levy Cana and Lucy had established Cristoff had turned her on, but what that meant had Wendy flustered, confused and near tears.

"I don't know, Cristoff is used to being teased and threatened by Bickslow Wendy, just because he brushed off the threat doesn't mean he brushed you off, you just barely met him, I bet I could get Cobra to make sure you go with the Raijinshuu on the mission they're going to take. Evergreen is going with Elfman and I know Cristoff is going with them. Of the Dragon slayers Laxus knows Cristoff the best because while he was banished from the guild he spent time in Bosco with Bickslows family, so he's got a soft spot for him that could help keep him from interfering." Lucy said.

"You could even argue you want to work with Cristoff because he's a healer like you and you could learn from him, he's healed during huge battles and clan wars in Bosco, it's a sound reason." Levy added.

"I am so loving the idea of helping little sister get her groove on." Cana grinned. "loving even more the idea your first kiss, first everything could be coming from a serious fucking hottie like Cristoff, shit, when I was 16 I sure didn't even dream of hooking up with men like him! My first crush was more innocent and pure than I was!"

"He is a big guy…" Lucy said, her faintly uncomfortable look drawing a frown from Levy "and Wendy is the same size as me and I'm dating Gajeel who is a little bigger than Cristoff so what's the size issue?"

Lucy looked sheepish, she hadn't thought of it from that angle, in truth Wendy was probably physically tougher than Levy because she was a Dragon Slayer, so Wendy could handle a man that size easier.

"Well, I say operation Wendy becomes a woman is a go and I am all in." Cana declared.

"I'm in too, I love the idea." Levy said firmly

"I'm in too! I'll talk to Cobra right away and see what he can do to get you in on the mission with the Raijinshuu." Lucy declared.

"And I'll talk to Bixy…right after I drag him somewhere private, all this talk about romance has me needing to wrap myself around some tall sexy masculine fun." Cana said, standing.

"So go get packed Wendy, if all goes well, you'll be leaving with the Raijinshuu tonight." Levy grinned.

Wendy jumped up, hugging each of the three women, grabbing a still disconcerted Charle and bolting for her room.

Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxxoxoxo

"It's a great idea, yeah, could you ask Lucy to go tell Wendy we want her along? Thanks Cobra…shit I hadn't even thought of that but yeah." Laxus was smiling and Cobra drew a breath, nodding he turned and walked out of Laxus' office and waved down to Lucy who jumped up and down, blew him a kiss and raced out the door.

He shook his head, he knew exactly what was going on, Lucy and Gajeel hadn't been able to hide a shred of it from him, Gajeel of course hadn't even tried.

He looked over to where Cristoff was sitting with Bickslow and Freed, he'd started tunneling into the man as soon as the whole thing had come to his attention. He cared about the youngest Dragon Slayer, more than he would ever admit he did, and was looking for a reason to tell Lucy it was a bad idea to encourage Wendy.

He had nothing though. Aside from being a flirt, who had slept with plenty of women and seemed able to find any woman he saw attractive in one way or another, Cristoff was a good man.

He got to see a little into Bickslow through Cristoff, had learned a lot about the Seith mage through his younger brother, but there was nothing creepy or sinister about the man. That he radiated as much magic energy and raw power as Laxus was maybe a bit unsettling, but Cristoff had fought in clan wars in his native country, been in his countries military because the guilds in Bosco served the military when called on.

The young man had seen his share of heavy battle and conflict, had hunted dark magic, guilds, creatures spawned from Hell itself that even Cobra had recoiled from when a memory of fighting one had come up in Cristoffs train of thoughts.

His ambitions were honest ones, he wanted to find a mate, though he was in no hurry at all to do so.

Cobra scoffed, yeah, he hadn't been either and look where he was now. He smiled faintly, as soon as the thought crossed his mind Lucy did, he could feel her, all giddy and excited about what she was scheming, what she'd drug him into.

He couldn't tell her no, fuck his life he doubted he'd ever be able to tell the woman no again, a fact he was fighting to keep from her. He needed some shreds of his dignity left in tact.

Yep, Wendy had the hots for the Lunar Slayer, and he, Cobra, who had never once in his life given a single fuck about these sorts of things, was helping his Mate set the guy up so Wendy would get her chance to see if Cristoff was who she wanted as a mate.

Fuck he needed some apple seeds…Lucy was going to toast some for him to take on his mission but she'd gotten all wrapped up in this drama. Glaring he went down to the bar, alcohol just didn't effect him, didn't even relax him, but he knew Mira had some Oleander juice, the guilds little potion master had given Mira that and a few other things to mix into Cobras drinks for him.

Laxus had taken the emerald haired woman out last night after their meeting. Things had gone well enough the little alchemist was distracted thinking about the Lightning slayer and the Thunder God himself was struggling to keep his thoughts on his work getting ready to leave on a regular mission with his team.

Cobra sighed, as soon as he sat down Mira was there "I don't know if it will be good but here, its bourbon and oleander, try it…" she hovered and Cobra picked up the glass, sniffing at it, it smelled divine.

One sip and he smiled "Yeah, keep that mixture." He told her. Mira grinned, thrilled with herself.

He nursed the drink gratefully. Just what he needed too, there was way too much drama around him right now.

Lucy appeared, sitting beside him and leaning over to kiss his cheek. Her glowing happiness and gratitude for his going along with her made it all worth it.

"Little one happy?" He asked, turning and smiling when she slid from her chair so she could wrap her arms around him under his coat, stepping between his spread legs.

"She's loving her big brother Cobra right now." She whispered by his ear and he slid his arm around her. "What about you? I don't make a habit of this sort of shit." He pointed out. He was already feeling that drink, and it felt really good.

"I'd so be happy to show you how grateful I am if you weren't about to leave." Lucy purred, licking his ear and making him shudder.

"Yeah, lets go with that. I've got time for a quickie." He decided, grabbing her hand, slipping off his chair and dragging her behind him laughing.

It took them a few minutes but he found a spot just inside the dry goods store room, He pushed her hard against the door once it was closed and kissed her until she was squirming, as she used her arms around his neck and door for leverage to hoist her legs up and clamp them around his hips he smiled.

He could feel her, her little skirt slid right up, he fucking loved his mates love for those short skirts. It made it so a moment later he was pushing himself into her, hands clamped on her rounded ass as he started pounding into her.

They weren't looking forward to the next few days, she was going with her team, he was going with his, they'd only had a few days while everyone waited on Bickslow and Cana to get back to enjoy as a newly mated pair and he really didn't want her out of his sight yet, but it had to be, Natsu was ok, hell, he'd already endured a breakfast one morning where the Fire slayer had climbed through the window, as had been his habit for years it seemed.

Natsu invited himself to join he and Lucy that morning and Cobra had made it through the whole thing without poisoning the pink haired slayer. Lucy had been really happy about that, so he had promised to keep at trying to get along with the shit.

Gray though, if he accompanied her team right now he and Gray would have problems beyond what even Lucys touch could prevent. That needed to calm down a lot more and Lucy needed to lay things down better with the man, which she planned to do.

Right then though, as she screamed out her end against his lips and he groaned following her right over that wonderful edge, sinking to the floor still kissing her even though they were both breathless. He didn't care about anyone but her. His mate was his world now.

She smiled against his lips "You so love me." She teased. She loved teasing him about how she could feel his love for her, he never denied it, but he still wouldn't say it, so she teased him about it mercilessly.

"And you so want me to fuck you again." He returned, she teased about love, he teased about lust, it worked.

"Damn right I do, God you feel so good." She rolled her hips and he grinned "Round two huh?"

"Bring it Dragon" She purred, rolling her hips harder into him and making him moan. Yep, he loved her.


	14. Chapter 14 Gathering Darkness

A/N ok, two chapters in one day, don't know what to say, blame Musicera. Can't promise it will ever happen again but yeah, hope everyone enjoys...DESNA

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Laxus gave Cobra a hard look as he barely made it onto the train in time, was about to say something but rolled his eyes as soon as the smell of strawberries hit him.

"You are so whipped." He snorted. Cobra shrugged, dropping into the seat across from the lightning slayer, noting as he did that Wendy was sitting across from Cristoff, next to Bickslow, Freed sitting beside Cristoff.

The young slayers mind trying to make sense of way too much for Cobra to do more than hastily block out her chaotic soul.

"Did Emma whip you up some things for the road?" He asked, the double meaning in his comment not getting past Laxus who narrowed his eyes.

"Some things for you too asshole. Here." He tossed cobra a bottle and the man frowned curiously, opening it and sniffing at it, eyes lighting up as soon as he did.

"Shit, seriously? You need to keep that woman happy Sparky." He declared, taking a small drink from the bottle and almost moaning as the flavor of apple seed cyanide spread over his tongue.

She'd crushed apple seeds, extracted the juice, mixed it with fresh apple juice and a little cinnamon and the Poison slayer was in heaven.

"What is that? It smells good." Laxus asked. Cobra smiled, explaining what was in the drink and leaving Laxus shaking his head.

"She's really enjoying the idea of making things for you, says she's never had the benefit of someone who could process poisons and give her feedback on the mixtures." Laxus said.

Cobra grinned "I will so happily be her tester."

Freed started asking Cristoff questions about Bosco, mostly academic, but when he asked a question about a custom involving a coming of age ceremony Cristoff had helped with before he'd left Wendy saw her chance.

"So how old was the boy?" She asked. Cristoffs dark eyes moved to her, friendly, calm, but Wendy still felt the tug, it was there, she was drawn to him and it was strong enough she really couldn't be wrong about it.

"10, boys go through it at 10, girls go through it at 13." He replied.

"You said there was an induction at the end of the party, what was that?" She asked, Cristoff looked at Bickslow who shrugged and the Lunar Slayer looked back at her.

"The boy is passed to a woman who lays with him so he is fully a man. Some boys wait until they are 11, this one chose to do it at 10." He replied. Freed drew in a breath.

"And the girls do the same at 13? Is there a man that lays with them?" She asked before Freed could protest. The Rune mage made a strangled noise.

"Relax Freed, you're going to suck your cravat into your mouth and choke on it, it's Boscan culture." Bickslow snickered.

Cristoff smiled, looking back at Wendy "Yes, girls usually elect to be free of their virginity at 13 and an older boy who had experience that they chose in advance lays with them."

"Why an older boy? Why not a 13 year old?" She asked.

"Because at 13 we guys don't have good control yet, might get over excited and wreck the experience, it's supposed to be something really enjoyable, special, for the girl, so the guy is usually 3 or 4 years older. I was selected a few times when I was 16 and 17 to be a girls induction partner." Bickslow chuckled, truly enjoying Freeds discomfort.

"So if I were Boscan, I'd have been with a boy before I was even old enough for mating season?" Wendy asked, really, deeply enjoying this, not because Freed was uncomfortable, but because she knew Cristoff was Boscan, born and raised, and all of a sudden, their physical age difference wasn't looking like such an obstacle.

"That's right." Cristoff replied "In Boscan culture a womans body is her own, virginity isn't seen as purity or innocence, it's only seen as a physical barrier preventing a young womans growth and maturity." Cristoff replied.

"Big age differences are still frowned on, like you wouldn't see someone my age or even Cristoffs age helping with a 13 year olds induction, that's too big of a gap, guys who go after little girls are still seen as scum bags." Bickslow said firmly and Cristoff nodded "Usually put to death when caught too."

Cobra snorted "Good, that's some sick shit."

"But a 16 or 17 year old could be with a 19 or 20 year old?" She asked, the clencher, Cristoff was 20, Wendy had found out he'd turned 20 last month. Cristoff and Bickslow both shrugged "Yes." Cristoff replied.

Wendy smiled "That's all so interesting, I want to visit Bosco some day." She said. Cristoff and Bickslow both smiled "Well, we have family there, Cristoff still owns property don't you?" Bickslow looked at his brother and Cristoff nodded.

"A house in White Sea, yeah, I'm keeping it too." He replied. Wendys eyes widened. "You own a house of your own?"

Cristoff nodded "Yes, I bought it two years ago, I'm SS-class rated by Fiore guild ranking, so I work high paying jobs, I have since I was 15 and made S-class." He replied.

Bickslow smiled proudly "Yep, little bro made S-class even younger than the Boss man did." He declared. Wendy looked at him and Freed smiled "Laxus made S-class when he was 16 Wendy, Erza did to, Mira was 17 when she made it."

That didn't make her feel better, but, she looked at Cristoff as he watched Freed and Bicklow debating which of Fairy Tails mages would make S-class next. He was handsome, incredibly so. His long black hair nearly as long as hers hanging loose around his broad shoulders, the blue t-shirt snug over his torso let her eyes see every contour, edge and bulge of muscle, he had an incredible body.

Not as bulky as Laxus, but not as lithe as Bickslow, decidedly much more toned and conditioned than Romeo, and bulkier than Natsu or Gray. He had to be at least 6 feet tall, and carried himself like the well skilled and trained man he was.

In short, he was all man, head to foot, as Cana had said, sex on legs and for the first time in her young life, Wendy felt her dragon pushing her, clawing to have a man, to take him, claim him. She had no idea how to do that, but Levy had promised she was going to research it, find out what was involved for her.

In the mean time, she crossed her legs, leaning toward the window as if to look out into the gathering darkness, letting the green dress she was in ride up her thigh and managed not to smile when Cristoffs dark eyes momentarily went to her legs.

She was going to see if she could catch this mans attention, get to know him better, and she hoped beyond all hope she would experience her first kiss before they returned home.

Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxxoxo

The town of Kunugi was usually a waystop for travelers bound for bigger more exciting places. It was a nice town though, with several inns and restaurants happy to help travelers relax on their journeys.

They were here to help handle some sort of thugs, magic users who were hurting people pretty badly, there had been a death and that had been the final straw for Kunugis mayor, he had sent out requests to Blue Pegasus and Fairy Tail since they were the two closest guilds.

They honestly didn't know how many there were, or where they were when they weren't causing problems but Laxus went over the descriptions, what few they had, and the group retired to the inn, they would start their work tomarrow.

Once settled in her room Wendy hurried downstairs to the tavern, saw Laxus and Cobra sitting at a table waiting for everyone to come down talking with Cristoff and hovered by the bar, ordering herself a warmed honey mead, not sure she wanted to interrupt the men, they looked serious.

"So you want to bring little Wendy in on this…seriously?" Laxus frowned.

"She's going to be 17 next month you said and she hasn't opened her second origin yet or learned any significant new variations to her magic. One of the reasons Makarov wanted me specifically for this was because I can help Wendy with her magic, that and my sister is a female dragon slayer, aside from her, nobody knows them better than I do, Wendy is heading toward her second mating season, she needs to learn what's involved for her, what she has to be careful about or she'll end up like Emzadi." Cristoff said.

Laxus frowned more at the younger mage, he'd spent 6 months staying with the Pradesh family in Bosco after his banishment from Fairy Tail. He'd even considered joining White Sea, had been generously brought into jobs by Grenlow with the members of the massive guild and had earned a fortune and learned most of what he knew about hunting dark magic users while there.

He'd known Cristoff as a slender unfaltering youth who had already, back then, been popular, like Bickslow it had been jarring when they had returned from Tenrou and instead of the 10 year old boy they had left all giddy about his induction ceremony, there was a 17 year old as tall as Bickslow and muscled out nearly as powerfully as Laxus. He'd made S-class at 15 and by 17 had already opened his third origin and had become a serious playboy, from the sweet compassionate boy, to the confident powerful man.

Wendy had been 13 when Tenrou had happened, it was bizarre thinking that technically she was 23 now even though her body was physically just shy of 17. She was older than Cristoff.

Yet Cristoff was a grown man, successful, immensely powerful, and he was right, as the only other Dragon Slayer with healing magic, hell, as a healer at all as incredibly rare as they were, he had hugely more experience than Wendy did, had grown his magic, had gotten more time with his dragon than any other first generation slayer that was because Nurem hadn't vanished, she had left when Acnalogia had been stirred back into activity by Zaref at Tenrou.

He also had grown up with a sister who was a Dragon Slayer, the only other female slayer known to exist other than Wendy. Emzadi was 22, and Laxus knew she'd been through some tough things, Bickslow had even gone home for a few weeks a couple years ago because of some tragedy that had happened with Emzadi.

"What do you mean by that?" He asked, suddenly worried that the hardships that had taken Emzadi to the point of trying to hurt herself were something Wendy might face.

"Female dragon slayers don't work like us, once they're of age they're driven more strongly to mate, to become a Queen, and mating for them…it's nowhere near as easy as it is for us. Does Wendy know that? Do any of you protective Kin know that?" Cristoff demanded, not unkindly but he was frowning right back at the Lightning Slayer.

"Wendy is almost 17, by her age Emzadi had already killed her first boyfriend." Cristoff said flatly.

That was the end of Wendy eavesdropping from behind a pillar, she rushed toward the two men who both noticed her the moment she stepped out.

Laxus looked stunned and uncomfortable but Cristoff met her wide eyes without flinching.

"What do you mean Cristoff? Why did your sister kill her first boyfriend?!" She demanded.

"Well fuck…so much for a peaceful dinner before bed huh?" Bickslow put his hands on Wendys shoulders, she'd been so engrossed in listening to the two Dragon Slayers she hadn't noticed the Seith mage, but Bickslow had noticed her, seen her hiding behind that pillar when he'd come down the stairs.

Charle had been right behind him, apparently unaware Wendy had stolen away.

He'd grabbed the little exceed and whispered "She's eavesdropping, so lets be quiet and let her ok?"

Pushed into a chair by the Seith mage Wendy still didn't take her eyes off of Cristoff.

"She's been listening to you guys for a while." Bix said, taking a seat next to Laxus who sighed heavily.

"Go ahead little brother, you brought it up, she needs to know this shit, Wendy shouldn't have to find out like Emzadi did." Bix said.

Cristoff looked at Laxus, knowing of the Dragon Slayers in Fairy Tail, Laxus was the strongest and seen as a leader. He respected the kinship the slayers had created among themselves, was honestly looking forward to earning his way into it since he'd been permanently assigned to the guild now.

"I can teach her all she needs to know, I can help her develop her healing magic and even open her second origin but she needs to stay with us, with me, I can't be away for months at a time, especially now, if she doesn't learn all of this…she's already behind." Wendy frowned, this had to be part of what he and Laxus had been discussing when she had first come down.

"Makes sense, the brat could use more training, Porlyusica is limited and Wendy lost her Dragon before Cristoff did by a good bit." Cobra put in, glancing toward the pillar, wondering when the young slayer was going to stop hiding and just come join them.

Laxus sighed again "Fine, she's in, I'll talk to the employers about it later, but we'll keep her working with you. Now finish whatever you started saying about female slayers because I think I need to know too in case I have to beat it into some thick skulls back home."

Cristoff nodded "Female slayers are driven harder than males to mate. The birthrate in dragons works out to more than 10 males to every single female and only a Queen dragon can raise a female dragon slayer. You put a Lacrima into a woman it will imbue the base magic, like your lightning for example, but it wouldn't make the woman a dragon slayer, the soul wouldn't transfer. For females it has to be done a certain way and a Lacrima can't do it."

"When males mate our process is simple, three bites done during sex at orgasm so the pain of the bite and magic transfer isn't overwhelming. If we're careful we could even make a non-magic user into our mate." He spoke calmly, ignoring Charles gasp of protest but Wendy didn't flinch, she knew all of this and wasn't the least embarrassed by it.

"Females don't work that way though, when a male approaches them, wants to become mated to her, her instincts overwhelm her. Because females are more rare, only the strongest males could be allowed to claim one, female dragons are larger, stronger than the males, so a male had to beat the female, subdue her until he could start, literally until he was inside her, having sex with her, at that point the females instincts release her and she can accept him, but until he's inside her, she's fighting him trying to kill him. She has no choice, instinct completely takes her over, and the drive in a female is to kill, a weak male can't be allowed to try again, he loses, he dies. Emzadi didn't know any of this when she took her boyfriend to an island on the grass sea at the beginning of the mating season. Non slayer males can only claim a female slayer during the mating season. Until claimed by the male, the female can not claim him, her bite only serves to drive him to try harder, to want her more, until he beats her in combat or dies trying."

"Emzadi killed him, according to Kaleb it only took her a few minutes, he wasn't a weak mage but he had no chance against her dragon soul. He and Xally, our other sister, tried to get to her but she flew into a rage, nobody could touch her until I got there and I was held back because I was isolated myself, unsafe to travel because of the mating season. Father had friends, scholars with the Magic council in Bosco research for us, found a single reference to the difference between a male and female dragons approach to establishing a mate. Until then, we had no idea." Cristoff sighed pushing a hand through his hair so it wasn't hanging over his right eye.

"So…I can't take a mate until he beats me in combat?" Wendy whispered. Looking down at the table then back up into dark blue eyes.

"Yes, and it doesn't matter how much you love them or how gentle you are or that your personal convictions may be dead set against killing someone, that instinct will take over and you will do what it drives you to." Cristoff said firmly.

Wendy drew a breath, Charle rubbing the back of her hand with a soft paw. The waitress had come, following Freed and took their orders.

"Maybe I should try to find a mate before my magic gets any stronger." Wendy said quietly. That earned her frowns from everyone and a growl from Laxus.

"Bullshit, you know as well as any of us when your mate comes along he'll be right for you, that means he'll be able to stand up to you shortcake, no matter how strong you are, he'll be right for you." Laxus said gruffly.

"Besides, you're already one hell of a badass." Bickslow said with a grin.

"No joke Brat, I've seen you kick some serious ass." Cobra agreed.

Cristoff watched Wendy mulling it all over. He hadn't missed she was attracted to him, his sense of smell was as keen as Gajeels or any of the other slayers in Fairy Tail.

What he needed to do was deter her, he was going to be teaching her, working with her pretty closely, he had a problem with women falling for him as it was. His father had, before he had left the embassy, made it clear he was to behave, that he had nearly 6 dozen marriage proposals on his desk at home for him and if he wasn't careful, he'd ignore the whole Mate thing and just marry his ass off. Dragon magic be damned.

Not that he was in any hurry to find companionship, Princess Kurino had decided he would warm her bed while she was in Crocus, something Kaleb had been plenty happy about since the Princess was well known for her painfully rough preferences in the bedroom.

Both before and after their meeting with Laxus and the others he'd been chained to the Princess' bed for her amusement. The woman was insatiable, and had left him with injuries bad enough even his powerful healing abilities had struggled to clear them and prevent scars. Kurino liked whips.

So his body was still recovering from spending a few days "entertaining" the Princess and her handmaids. His eyes lingered on the blonde barmaid, who had been watching him and Laxus since they had come downstairs.

Maybe he wasn't that tired.

They ate and Laxus told Wendy she would be briefed on the other mission when they got back to Magnolia then they discussed their current one.

"Well, I'm going to see about something and hopefully be in bed soon, I'll see you all in the morning." Cristoff said, rising. Wendy watched him, trying not to be obvious about it while Freed also excused himself.

Cristoff walked to the bar and before he could even sit down the pretty blonde barmaid was walking out from behind the bar.

"You were watching us." Cristoff said, the blonde nodded "I was watching YOU." She admitted.

"Was that all you wanted to do, just watch?" He asked, the smooth tone made something deep inside Wendy stir and her fist clenched on her knee as the blonde pushed herself against the tall slayer and slid her hands up his chest.

"Oh…I want to do a lot more than watch you sexy." She purred and kissed him.

Wendy watched, seething as the blonde signaled another employee to take over the bar while she pulled Cristoff to the stairs and he followed her willingly, smiling wickedly.

"Fuck, he works fast." Laxus said, shaking his head.

"I'm telling you, boy came into his own while we were on Tenrou, drives Dad nuts, women falling for him left and right, sending sorrowful requests to Dad begging him to arrange marriages. He's supposed to behave himself." Bickslow snorted, "I'm turning in, when we starting in the morning again?"

"Be down here by 8." Laxus replied.

"Well, I'm off too then." Cobra stood, stretching out his tall frame before moving toward the stairs.

Wendy stood "I'm going to bed too, see you in the morning Laxus." She said. Laxus smiled and nodded, hoping the young slayer was able to process all she'd learned, it was harsh information and his heart went out to her.

He'd seen her get angry too, when Cristoff had walked over and picked up the barmaid for the night. It was probably a good thing he'd done it, Laxus, like Cristoff, hadn't missed how Wendy had been acting toward the Lunar Slayer.

That Cristoff was doing that right in front of her showed Laxus all he needed to know about the younger mages intentions toward Wendy and he relaxed. Cristoff was a good man, Laxus knew him, honestly if he had been interested in Wendy Laxus wasn't sure he would have stood in the way of it, but the protective big brother he'd become to the Sky Slayer didn't think any man would ever be good enough and wanted her to stay 12 and in pigtails for the rest of her life.

It was nearly impossible for him to see precious Wendy with a grown man like Cristoff, even knowing Wendy was technically older than him and even physically their ages weren't all that far apart. Hell, he'd had a fuck buddy thing going when he was 17 with a divorced woman in the Rune Knights.

He knew Wendy was ready to take that step, how she wanted a boyfriend and a mate. He shook his head, dropping some jewel notes on the table with what the others had already left and smirked slightly when the waitress dropped what she was doing and started toward him, Cristoff wouldn't be the only one with company tonight.

Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Wendy was wishing for all she was worth that her Dragon hearing wasn't as good as it was or the inns walls weren't so thin. She'd been happy Cristoff had the room next to hers but after several hours of listening to the moans and cries, mewls and exclamations of the damn blonde barmaid whore Cristoff was with she was ready to go sleep outside somewhere.

Bitter tears stung her eyes and she glared at the wall.

"Ah…yes!..Gods…I can't take it! More!" The woman cried.

She heard nothing from Cristoff beyond the creaking strains of the bed as he did whatever he was doing to keep that blonde panting and moaning like a mad woman.

She pulled her pillow over her head and screamed into the mattress. It was far from the first time she'd listened to things like this, she'd gone on missions where Gray had brought women up to his room and been plenty noisy, she'd even heard Cobra and Lucy in the store room earlier.

It had made her blush, laugh, giggle before she drifted off to sleep but this, knowing it was the black haired Lunar Slayer in there, the man she wanted for herself, rage rolled through her. Her dragon writhed inside her, making her want to knock the door down, tear the blonde apart and then claim that gorgeous blue eyed beast for herself.

Hearing what he was doing, how he made a woman scream only seemed to fan that fury more, that pleasure should be hers, his attentions, all of his prowess and skill in bed should be felt by no other but her. The level of possessiveness and rage she felt would have frightened her normally, but now it felt right, the Lunar Slayer should not share any bed but hers.

She snarled, not hearing her claws rending the sheets, digging into the mattress and tearing it open until Charle was awakened by her growls and hisses.

"Wendy! What are you doing?!" The exceed exclaimed and it startled the Sky Slayer, she blinked a few times and looked at Charle then down at what she'd done "I…oh my goodness! I was having a bad dream…" she managed lamely.

The exceed frowned then when the blonde in the next room screamed Cristoffs name for the third time that night. "Well, with all the noise next door it's no wonder…really, he knows you're next door, he should have taken the harlot somewhere else!" Charle snapped, glaring at the wall Wendy had been glaring at for hours.

It fell silent then, and Wendy could hear them talking, she couldn't make out every word but a few minutes later she heard the woman leave Cristoffs room and his shower start.

Flopping down she buried her face in her pillow and sleep came quickly knowing he was alone now.

Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxxoxoxoxoxoxxoxoxo

They spent part of the morning doing some investigating, finding out where the mages had been seen before setting out. It sounded like they were hovering out by a nearby lake. One of the locals told them there were a couple of old hunting cabins out there and maybe they had taken one over.

Wendy walked with Freed, watching as Bickslow and Cristoff exchanged good natured banter.

"Did you even sleep?" Bix asked.

Cristoff shrugged "I got a few hours don't worry."

"I don't know about that, she didn't stop screaming till 4." Cobra scoffed.

"Yeah, well was she able to walk after? I mean shit she was loud, almost as loud as the one Laxus was ploughing." Bickslow snorted, Laxus gave him a dark look and the Seith yelped when he was reminded Laxus didn't have to move toward him to hurt him.

"Fuck! You know, I'm probably going to die of some weird nerve disorder brought on from being electrocuted too many times." His snickering made it clear he wasn't angry in spite of his tone.

"Wendy is with us dumbass." Laxus snapped.

Bix turned to give Wendy a wide grin "She's heard worse, she probably heard at least one of you two last night too, so who's the dumb ass again?" He challenged.

Laxus glared at him and Cristoff shoved him hard enough he stumbled but Bickslow was way too good on his feet to fall that easily.

"You're just jealous, I don't know why you didn't give that brunette any attention, the one sitting by the fire? She clearly liked you." Cristoff said lightly, smirking at his brother.

Bickslow shrugged. "Wasn't in the mood, barely got back from running all over the flipping North east of Fiore and I'm already out here at work again. I need recovery time."

"Bullshit, Canas got you leashed." Laxus smirked. That got the Seith to jerk his head around and for a moment all humor was gone from the mans face but it returned so fast Wendy wasn't sure she'd seen it fall.

"Naw, not leashed, maybe tired, but not leashed, we just had fun is all you know how Cana is." He lolled his tongue out with his wicked smile and Laxus rolled his eyes, he did actually, he doubted there were many men in the guild that didn't.

They walked for a while longer, Bix continuing to tease Laxus and Cristoff until the Lunar slayer froze.

A moment after he did Wendy, Cobra and Laxus did too. Death, the smell of death. Was in the air. Cristoff moved faster than she'd ever seen someone move and Bickslow was up on his babies while Freed took Wendy with him and Laxus took off after Cristoff.

They left the road, moving through the trees and Wendy wrinkled her nose, her stomach turning at the smell, blood…death…bad.

They came to a small clearing , it had been cleared, underbrush shoved aside and Freed stiffened, grabbing Wendys arm and making her stop. Charle gasped in horror. Tied to the tree was a young woman, naked, strange symbols cut into her skin on her legs and arms, from the bruising and overall beaten state of her body her death hadn't been an easy one. She'd suffered before the obvious killing act of snapping her neck had taken her life.

"Wendy come here." It was Cristoffs voice and she saw Laxus standing at the edge of some ripped up underbrush looking down in disgusted horror at whatever Cristoff was bending over.

"I don't think…" Freed started to object but Cristoff shot him a nasty look "She's a healer, she needs to see this and help me, learn to do this there's no time!" He snapped and Freed released Wendy who ran down the slope to stop at Laxus and nearly threw up.

There were five more women, each brutally beaten, naked, their bodies had been horribly abused, but Cristoff was ripping his cloak off, shoving his sleeves up over one of them and Wendy realized the woman was alive.

All horror and revulsion was shoved aside as she came to his side and she choked back a sob "she's..too far…" She managed to get out, feeling the womans heart stopping, sensing the huge extent of the injuries.

"No she isn't, come here." Cristoff grabbed her wrist and pulled her to him, turning her so her back was pressed against his chest and he tucked her in tightly, "Now hold my wrists while I do this, you need to feel how the magic flows." He snapped.

She grabbed his wrists and gasped faintly as she felt his magic gathering, felt him pulling something into himself, the immensity of his magic power staggered her as she felt it build and then it was flowing, moving to his hands and into the woman who lay unbreathing with no heartbeat beneath them. He was on his knees, Wendy sitting on his thighs, feeling healing magic more powerful than anything she'd ever even imagined moving.

"Reach into me Wendy, with your magic, let it flow into mine so you can see it." He whispered by her ear and she did and gasped. Broken ribs, broken pelvis, collapsed lungs, bruised heart, shattered knees, broken wrists, broken elbows, dislocated shoulders a broken jaw and fractured skull, not to mention internal injuries, especially to her reproductive areas.

The woman was so far beyond what Wendy at her best could have helped it was staggering but she felt magic powerful enough and without even realizing it, she started using it, her own magic laced with his starting taking on the injuries, the ones preventing life first then she felt him pull in a different power, a jolting one that forced the heart to beat, kept sending pulses of that to the heart to keep it beating as they repaired other things, the lungs, the ribs, arteries.

Bit by bit until the heart started sustaining itself, until the breathing wasn't being forced and Wendy felt that magic recede. Her own magic would have been exhausted before she'd repaired the heart and lungs and she could feel the strain on him now as bones were set, knitted.

Finally he eased the flow off until he sat back on his knees, one arm closing around her, both of them breathing hard. With his free hand he grabbed up his long dark blue cloak and put it over the woman, Bickslow moved in then "I'll get her back to town." He said quietly, gathering the woman up carefully, making sure she was well covered in Cristoffs cloak before stepping onto his babies and flying up above the trees toward town.

Freed was already looking over the markings on the trees and made an unhappy sound.

"What?" Laxus demanded.

"Six girls, five trees, the way everything is arranged, the symbols are Sevenese, all but that one." He pointed at the mark cut deep into the thigh of each of the dead girls. It was a sharply angled slash breaking a circle.

"What's that one?" Laxus asked, leaning closer.

"Pergrande Berserker." Cristoff said Wendy twisted in his lap, his eyes were moving slowly over the marks on the women "They always brand their conquests."

"This on this tree…" Freed was narrowing his eyes trying to read what was carved into the tree at the top of the space.

"Sevenese, "Fioran Whores shall feed our beasts" loosely translated." Cristoff said. Freed nodded "Yes, that's as close as it could be in common…this was a ceremony." He breathed.

"Six women, raped to death to spur the hardest bloodlust for a type of blood, the ceremony is used to set a pack of berserkers on a task. Six women means three Berserkers." Cristoff sighed. He lifted Wendy from his lap so she could regain her feet and allow him to stand.

He looked at Laxus "You ever fought Berserkers?" He asked. Laxus frowned, shaking his head, Freed shook his as well.

"Well…I have, they aren't Sevenese either, Pergrande has them, and if Sevenese handlers are using Pergrandian Berserkers….this just become a hell of a lot more than a little local job for a town." Cristoff said grimly.

Laxus nodded, "I don't smell them…could they be nearby?" He asked.

"Likely, that little town we stayed in last night might be their first target if there isn't a smaller village somewhere, the handlers will need to "wet" the Berserkers using a small settlement, see if they'll lock to task the way they're wanting them to, which, by this ceremony, seems to be targeting women first, which will make men come to fight them and they'll kill any children they find near a woman too." He explained in a tired pained voice.

Freed paled "There is a small village, maybe 250 residents called Lakeshore about 5 miles that way at the head of the lake, we've worked there before…"

Laxus frowned. Cristoff brushed himself off "Three Berserkers could level a village that size in a day." He said, "and I hate to say this…but our odds aren't great if their handlers are decent magic users. I mean, they don't have to be, whoever holds the control rod for the Berserkers collars controls them and that doesn't take magic, a child could do it, but Berserkers aren't generally magic users, they're just magically enhanced and really a pain in the ass to kill. Usually beast merged so they have feral beast traits. The report was rogue magic users though."

"Maybe it's two separate things…" Laxus said, then shook his head, yanking out his com Lacrima.

A minute later Makarov was frowning, a deeply concerned look on his face as Laxus turned the Lacrima and showed him the scene they had found, explained what all they knew.

"I'm contacting Team Natsu, they're heading through that area toward their job, I can have them get off their train in Kurugi to help you, they left a while ago so…" Makarov was saying.

Cobra pulled out his com and dialed Lucy "I'm calling them Master." He called, feeling a rush of relief as Lucy smiled at him a moment later "Hey sexy, miss me already?" She teased, He rolled his eye, "Yeah, get your team off at Kurugi, Bickslow will be at the station waiting for you, we need help, it's serious."

Lucys eyes widened, all of the mirth falling from her face, "They just called that stop, so we'll be getting off the train in 10 minutes." She replied.

Freed was already calling Bickslow, who reported he'd just handed the woman off to the doctor in town and agreed to meet Team Natsu and bring them to where the Raijinshuu were.

Makarov smiled faintly, his children were resourceful and worked together so well they did him proud.

"Handle the Berserkers and if possible capture the handlers…I will be on the next train to Kurugi." Makarov said firmly.

Laxus nodded and they moved away from the carnage, Bickslow had reported it to the Kurugi authorities, they would send people to collect the bodies and identify them. Freed took pictures of everything to be studied later. There was no point trying to hide it all, it was unlikely the locals would know what any of it meant and the womens bodies held as many symbols as the trees anyway.

Without even realizing she was doing it Wendy kept close to Cristoff, something had happened when he'd guided her back there, shown her the progression of bringing a human being back from deaths door that should have been too far gone to save.

She could still almost feel his magic, the cool refreshing tingle of it inside her, and his nearness was keeping the horror and fear she felt at bay.

"Thank you." She said quietly, looking up at him, he'd been looking up the road they had stepped back to. They were sitting just off the road, on some old fallen trees. Wendy sat beside him and he met her eyes with a warm smile that made her breath catch.

"You did well, I didn't have to tap into my third origin because of you, you started helping, threading your magic through mine to do so, it was impressive." He told her, the praise made her blush "No, nothing about my magic was impressive there compared to yours." She objected.

He turned more toward her "I have a lot more experience than you, the benefit of more time with my dragon and countless battles spent healing and supporting my people behind me. You've been held back in a lot of ways, some because of events, others because of people keeping you back instead of letting you grow."

Laxus snorted and Charle huffed indignantly but Cristoff ignored them both. "That you started helping, threaded your magic with mine and started using mine to augment yours…I've never seen or even heard of that before." He admitted.

Wendys eyes widened "But..I thought that was part of what you were showing me."

He shook his head, dark eyes looking over her with an appreciation he hadn't had before that made Wendys dragon thrum with pleasure inside her.

"No, healing magic doesn't…mesh, mix like ours did there, that…isn't normal. I wanted to you feel and follow what I was doing, I didn't expect all of that. When I said to let your magic touch mine all that should have happened was you being able to feel what I was doing, understand it better." He said quietly.

Laxus beckoned Cobra with a small gesture, moving a distance from Cristoff, Wendy and Freed.

"Tell me he's not hitting on her." He said darkly.

Cobra frowned "Seriously? What are you blind? Cristoff is doing all he can to keep Wendy at a distance, he's all wrapped up in this idea he's got a responsibility to teach her and shit, it's Wendy that's in fucking heat over him, wants him so bad she's damn near irrational. Can't string two thoughts together without one being how much she wants to kiss him or some shit, it's revolting but it isn't Cristoff. No lie, the man was fucking the legs numb on that barmaid last night but he's not thinking that way about Wendy. If he were, I'd have said something."

Laxus' frown only deepened "So…it's all Wendy? He's not encouraging her?" he already knew the answer, he'd been watching Cristoff like a hawk for signs the man was leading Wendy on. Nothing, Cristoff had been friendly, but a gentleman.

"He's not…though what they did back there has him pretty surprised and interested. You know, worrying about the brats crush on Cristoff really shouldn't be a priority right now." Cobra pointed out

Laxus shrugged and watched as Cobra snapped his head to the road "They're almost here." He announced, moving onto the road.

He was dive bombed by Bickslows totems almost before they came into sight but once they had his eyes focused only on the blonde walking swiftly toward them.

Last night had been miserable, they hadn't been apart at all since they had started the whole mating process and not for more than a few minutes since they'd become mated.

He'd missed her a lot more than he would ever admit to, and while he'd meant to stand and wait for her to reach him he was walking toward her to close the distance faster in spite of himself.

Lucy had no pride where this was concerned, she broke into a run and threw herself into the Poison slayers arms, hugging him with all her strength and breathing in the wonderful candy scent of the man before she fisted her hands in his hair and kissed him fiercely.

Her team walked past them with knowing smiles, except for Gray who made a disgusted noise.

Laxus filled Team Natsu in on what was happening while Wendy happily moved to hug Lucy, so grateful to see her friend, and one of the woman on her side she almost cried.


	15. Chapter 15 The fiery stick

A/N Thank you everyone who is reviewing, as I've said before, the reviews help. Musicera you've been a huge help. JD, Kura, CoS,Cass, Tier, Moonbeam and so many others...enjoy!...DESNA

xoxoxxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Mira swept into the Potion shop grinning, setting a tray down with an assortment of bottles and vials, all empty clean and sparkling.

"The drink you came up with for Cobra? With the Oleander juice? He loved it." She said brightly, smiling seeing Lisanna hovering over a small kettle where she was clearly making something that Emma was overseeing.

Emma smiled back at Mira. "I'm glad he did, I gave Laxus a bottle of an Appleseed extract drink I made for him and Lucy has me making something for him as well. It's nice to be able to explore ingredients I usually couldn't mess with. The healing elixir for him is important since conventional medicine and first aid isn't possible, really fascinating."

The young woman pulled her long green hair up and twisted it into a loose half loop before tying it off and looking over Lisannas work.

"Speaking of Laxus…how was the date?" Mira asked, busying herself setting the bottles and vials into their places in the cupboard.

"Really nice, he's been helping me every chance he gets with this new magic I have and as busy as he is I know it's not easy for him to find the time so I appreciate it." She said, showing Lisanna how to pattern her mixing movements better.

"He's really making an effort for you that's for sure. Not normal for him you know." Mira said.

"Really? But he seems so kind, he was fun at dinner, showed me how to isolate my lightning types better then we talked for hours, you know I lost track of time? We were there until they closed and I had no idea so much time had passed." She chuckled. As an alchemist and potionmaster time and being aware of it was crucial to get mixtures perfect. It was something she prided herself on, she was never late for anything, always knew what time it was and how much time was passing while a mixture brewed.

Yet with Laxus the other night she'd lost all track of it, caught up in the man to the point of complete distraction.

Cana came to the window "Hey Emmie, tell me you have something for hangovers!" She called. Emma smiled at the card mage, moving past Mira to the wall lined with completed elixirs, potions, tonics and medicines. She plucked up a small vial with a dark blue/green liquid in it labeled "Hangover Cure" and took it to Cana. "One drop in 8 ounces of any alcoholic drink, only 8 ounces, don't mix it in more or less or it won't work." She said. Cana grinned. Slapping down the jewel for the cost listed on the bottle.

"Fucking LOVE having you in the guild Emmie, seriously!" She declared, walking happily from the window while Emma swept the jewel into the already stuffed register.

"I can have Jet take a drop to the bank for you Emma." Mira offered. Emma smiled at her, returning to Lisanna. "Yes please that would be amazing Mira!"

The she-devil nodded, smiling to herself and leaving the shop to return to the bar through the hallway that connected them.

Setting up Emma with that shop had created a huge influx of Jewel. Emma gave 1/3 of all profits to the guild in exchange for Rent and supplies and the guild had paid for the costs of setting it up several times over already and was turning a nice profit. That and Emma had a healthy bank account of her own now.

The people of Magnolia had discovered it and it had become so busy Emma had hired Lisanna and was teaching her potions so she could help. Kinana was learning them too, delighted to have such a useful skill. Jet took regular little jobs for the shop doing deliveries and he was enjoying the money too. It had become a great addition to the guild, all because of the bright eyed woman in charge of it all.

Mira smiled, fixing up the hangover tonic for Cana. With Laxus so interested in their little potion master, Mira was already starting to envision little purple eyed blond babies.

Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxxoxoxoxxoxoxoxoxoxxooxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxxoxo

The little village of Lakeshore was in chaos. Screams filled the air, some of the buildings were burning, dead bodies were here and there all around.

Natsu growled low and Cobra grabbed his arm, signaling him to remain quiet as they moved. They had 5 dragon slayers, Titania, Freed, Bickslow, and Gray. Some of the most powerful mages Fairy Tail had to offer, versus 3 Pergrandian Berserkers and their Sevenese handlers.

That Sevenese were this deep into Fiore and had gotten three berserkers in with them, was alarming.

What they were doing was horrifying.

Lucy twice had to turn away from a brutally abused body as they came to the village, burying her face momentarily into Cobras sleeve before continuing. He was right at her side, and under no circumstances would he be leaving her. She was strong, would no doubt kick ass, but she was his, the center of his world, and he'd be damned if she got so much as a scratch during this.

They had a plan, if they all stuck to it (doubtful with Natsu and Erza in the group) they could do this with less risk of injury.

It hinged on Cobra and Cristoff.

Coming in on the Village from opposite ends Cristoff saw Bickslow taking up a position among the treetops while Laxus moved to one side and Freed to the other, setting up his rune traps after getting wards on Wendy even though Cristoff swore he wouldn't let anything touch her.

The Lunar slayer had been adamant that Wendy work with him, part of the plan was using a type of healing magic Wendy needed to learn but had never had anyone to teach it to her until now, she needed to see it, start learning it.

It was beyond moving to Wendy too, watching someone actually take a stand for letting her grow up and progress. So many of the people she loved so much seemed determined to keep her in this "little girl" category, especially Charle, and her dragon brothers.

That it was Cristoff just added to her admiration of the man, her attraction to him too. Lucy and Cobra took Cristoffs side though, even Bickslow did, and so Laxus had grudgingly agreed to it.

Were it not for the fact he knew Cristoff had fought Berserkers before, knew the man had experience dealing with this very type of situation and was a highly ranked and rated mage, he wouldn't have allowed it. Would have had Wendy up above the trees with Charle out of harms way.

Instead, Wendy walked close beside the Lunar Slayer, careful with every footstep, he had warned them all Berserkers had senses on the same level as a Dragon Slayer.

A door shattered to splinters and a mans limp body tumbled into the street, a mass of blood and shattered body parts. A moment later the Fairy Tail mages got their first look at a Berserker.

He was large, on par with Laxus, in ratty blood stained pants torn off at the knee, bare chested and bare foot. A tangled mane of dirty blonde hair fell down his back and his skin was covered in scars, some bruises, a few superficial cuts.

He had probably been handsome once, but what had been done to make him what he was had made him look bestial, long fangs hanging over a thin lower lip, eyes glowing faintly red with the bloodlust created by the ceremony. His ears were like a wolfs and he hand long claws coming out where fingertips should have been.

He was dragging a woman by her ankle, she was already stripped naked, sobbing, clawing at the ground trying in a vain attempt to escape. Blood all over her thighs made it clear what had already happened to her and when she saw the remains of the man who had shattered the door she made a soul wrenchingly agonized shriek that made the Berserker wince and reach down and backhand her, knocking her out right before he started to lower himself to her limp body, throwing her legs apart.

Lucy couldn't watch more, couldn't wait for more of them to come out while this woman was raped right in front of her.

She saw scales slide out over Cobras arms and hands, saw his claws slide out and this time when the poison started dripping from them she found it reassuring.

Cobra was readying himself but Natsu and Titania were done with the plan it seemed, rushing at the hulking Berserker before he could settle himself on the unconscious woman. As soon as the creature saw Natsu it made some sort of low growling noise that got responses from other buildings and everyone braced themselves.

The fight started then, Natsu and Titania taking on the first one, the second burst out a window ripping half the wall away as it did so right by Cobra and Lucy and it very clearly liked Lucy, eyes widening on her then a smile spreading as it stalked toward her.

Cobras low growl though instantly got its attention and it snarled at him, eyes sliding over his claws, catching the Dragon Slayers distinctly predatory traits and almost looking confused for a few moments.

It didn't last though, but as soon as it started toward them Cobra let a poison roar go that had it gaging and writhing on the ground with its flesh starting to melt away. He took no chances, moving closer so that his next attack took the thing apart.

Laxus and Cristoff had the third one between them but it focused in on Wendy, which they had all figured it would, just like the one fighting Natsu and Titania was pretty much ignoring Natsu trying to get a grip on Titania.

When the one after Wendy started forward Cristoffs low growl had the exact same effect as the one on Cobra had. It looked at him sharply, meeting his gaze and snarling, seeing him as an obstacle but enough of a threat it was moving cautiously.

As soon as it had taken a couple of steps Laxus snarled behind it and it whipped its head around wide eyed. It didn't hesitate, rushing Laxus instantly and before it could reach the lightning slayer it was convulsing, bursting into flames as lightning ripped through it setting all of its internal fluids to boiling.

Cristoff whirled, Natsu sent flying, gashes across his chest nearly slamming into him and Wendy.

"Wendy get Natsu." He told her, turning just in time as Erza back pedaled into him. The first one they had seen was clearly the biggest and strongest of the three. Erza had landed some decent blows and it was scorched in several places from Natsu but none of that seemed to bother it.

Shifting so Erza fell behind him Cristoff faced the creature, like before a low growl drew its focus.

"You won't kill me slayer, I know your kind…god slayers have died at my feet." It sneered and Cristoff grit his teeth.

It talked, not good news, the only ones that talked were the high powered heavily enhanced ones.

"Yeah?" He kept its gaze though it was glancing at Erza and Wendy both hungrily. He got its eyes locked on his though and that was all he needed "you will sleep." He said firmly.

Nothing, not even immortal beings that he had faced, could resist a Lunar Slayers command to sleep.

The plan had been for Cobra to flood the area with a sickening toxin and as the enhanced creatures stumbled out trying to get away from it, Cristoff would put them to sleep completely.

Once asleep they would have at least 8 hours to find the handlers and deal with them, then the Berserkers could be killed, and Cristoff hadn't bothered arguing with Laxus about that, the Fairy Tail mage didn't realize what a handler freed Berserker could do, he'd kill them himself, he'd done it before.

The creature staggered, going to its knees and snarling in frustration as its body started shutting down.

Cristoff strode right up to it not hearing Wendy and Erzas startled cries of protest, grabbing its tangled mane of hair and ripping its head back, it was shutting down, it had no choice, but he yanked a long dagger from its place on his thigh and neatly slit the things throat.

He wasn't going to waste their time and energy on any living Berserker or any attempts at restraining and holding them, it was useless, the creatures were usually kept chained in 6 inch thick steel slabbed cages kept below freezing so they remained sluggish.

These were fresh off a blood ritual fully lusted, there was no room for giving them chances.

Once that was done he stepped through the shattered door and made his way swiftly through the destroyed house. Aside from a painfully dead pair of children there was nobody else in the house so he pushed his way back through the flames, angrily sending a powerful spell to shatter the foundation so the burning house collapsed as he made his way out, he ripped away the dark blue shirt he'd been wearing over his armor, one of the sleeves had caught fire and he just lacked the interest in saving it.

Angrily he yanked the tie that had been holding his hair back away, dropping it as he stepped back out onto the street, enjoying the feel of the blazing hot wind that blew around him as the house collapsed. It matched his mood.

The handlers weren't here, they had released their beasts and taken themselves out of range likely just in case their beasts couldn't do the job or something like this happened. It meant they had to find them before they got too far because as soon as the last one died the control rod would go dead and those handlers would flee.

He crossed the open area to Laxus "The handlers aren't here, we have to find them, hunt them down before they get far or they'll establish themselves somewhere and be ready to help others into the area." He said.

Laxus nodded, frowning slightly, "You won't just slit their throats, right? Gramps is hoping to question one."

Cristoff sighed "There's no questioning a Berserker, the only hope of information we have are those Sevenese handlers. They're wearing scent dampener lacrima, the handlers always do to keep the Berserkers from focusing on them, but even those have a scent, leave a trail and I know how to track them but we have to move now." He said.

"But what about the injured people here?!" Wendy demanded as she Erza and Natsu joined them. "You can stay here with Erza, Lucy, Freed and Natsu and help all you can, but the rest of us need to run down the handlers." Laxus said.

That didn't seem to sit well with Wendy who glared at Cristoff "You'd leave injured behind?"

He turned, stepping right up to her and meeting her angry gaze coldly. "I would leave the village to burn if their deaths meant thousands more would be saved from more of those things, we have to know why they came here, and we don't have time to debate about it." He snapped and turned his back on her, waving to Bickslow who was hovering a dozen feet above them. Breaking into a swift run from the village, Cobra, Laxus and Bickslow following closely.

"This sucks…" Natsu growled. He'd been left because he was injured and he knew it.

Lucy ruffled his hair "Suck it up firebreather…literally, I mean go suck the flames up before this whole place catches fire." She looked at Wendy who was staring in disbelief after the others.

"He's right you know, much as it sucks, finding out why these assholes came here before more of this happened could save a lot of lives." She said, trying to soothe the angry young woman.

Wendy growled "Did you see him? He walked right up to this thing and slit its throat without blinking, killed it! And when he came out he walked right by this poor woman without even glancing at her, after watching what that thing did!"

She knelt beside the unconscious woman checking her and finding nothing severe, a twisted ankle, bruising, of course she had some tears from being raped by the massive Berserker but those were easily healed. The real damage was the lives lost. She wondered vaguely as she stood to close up the gashes across Natsus chest better if he'd known the woman wasn't that badly hurt, physically anyway, because emotionally she was sure the woman would be a wreck.

Erza found a blanket in an undamaged house to wrap the woman in, people were emerging and they were soon very busy explaining to them that the creatures were all dead, their village was safe, and helping the injured.

Xoxoxooxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

"It's a complete lack of scent with a faint hint of warm glass that you look for, the lacrimas cut about a ten foot swath right down into the ground and any foliage passed that lasts for a good while." Cristoff was explaining as they moved, Laxus and Cobra nodded, both soon catching what he was talking about.

The handlers seemed to be heading for some foothills not far from the Lake, which made sense, they would want a base close so they could assess what their charges had managed to do once the danger was passed.

They wouldn't be expecting to be followed.

Digging in harder the slayers picked up their paces now that all three knew what they were doing.

"There's a camp fire glow coming out of a shallow cave in the hill to the north." Bickslow said, coming down low to let the others know.

"Perfect, scout it Bix, we'll stay on the trail but it looks like it's heading that way." Laxus responded. The blistering pace had his legs burning, he was good for long jogs, even ran with Bickslow sometimes, but this pace was brutal. It made sense though, the faster they caught these pricks the better.

Once certain they were in fact headed toward that hill Laxus drew in his magic and shot ahead, once at a good spot by the tree line before the cave entrance, outside the range of the flickering light from the cave mouth, he crouched down and waited, giving himself time to regain his breath and smirk at the now distinct lack of scents.

Bickslow came down to him. Signalling he'd seen the men they were probably after.

Laxus signaled him to scout in and Bickslow nodded, transferring Popos soul into a nearby small pebble and sending him in.

Bix couldn't exactly see through the soul, but he could perceive things and hear through it and he was suddenly very glad he knew Sevenese because that was what the men were speaking.

"How could someone have killed all three? The two younger ones I could almost understand but Zav was a veteran of three wars, eradicated six Boscan sea clans solo, he was thoroughly enhanced, it would take 50 Rune Knights to even start to make him work." One was complaining angrily.

"We'll find out in a few days, whoever did it won't stick around once the clean up is done, they never do, then we can abduct a few of the women, have some more fun and find out what they know." Another answered.

"Yeah, these whores are about spent." The first snorted and Bix pushed Popo in farther along the ceiling of the cave until he made out weak crying and the distinct rhythmic grunts and pained gasps that indicated one of the men was busy with a hostage.

The vague shapes confirmed it and as Cristoff and Cobra reached them Bickslow curled a lip in disgust "Three of them, they have four women in there, one of the bastards is raping one as we speak the other two are bitching by the fire closer to the mouth of the cave, we storm in, that third bastards gonna use those girls as a shield." He whispered.

"Cobra, can you do some sort of knock out gas? Something that wont hurt the girls?" Laxus asked. Cobra paused then smiled, nodding "Yeah, but if those lacrima have any sort of purifying shit that clears the air to remove scents it might not work on them." He pointed out.

Bickslow smiled "I can get them to come outside, just hang on…." He sent Popo down to the ground and found one of the thinner sticks in the fire and put the soul into it.

Popo wasn't thrilled but Bickslow used the stick, pulling it from the fire making the two men sitting there stagger back as the flaming stick flew to the back of the cave and rammed itself up the ass of the man raping the woman.

Bickslow quickly yanked Popo from the stick back to his totem as an ear-piercing shriek came from the cave.

Two men came running from the cave and Cobra and Laxus went after them while Cristoff ran into the cave.

The man screaming, writhing on the ground with pants around his ankles and a smoldering stick shoved up his ass made Cristoff snicker in spite of himself.

Leave it to his brother to use a distraction this way.

The four women were in bad shape, by the looks of it two were unconscious, the third was near it, and the fourth that the man had been raping was pressed against the back of the cave looking up at him in terror.

"It's allright…you're ok, I'm a mage from Fairy Tail, we're here to save you." He told her and tears filled her eyes as she sank to the floor crying.

Cristoff turned his attention to the still writhing cursing man on the floor and he grabbed him by his collar, ripping him over to land on his back, causing the stick to bend and the man screamed, Cristoff met his wide open eyes "sleep you piece of shit." He snarled and the man went limp. Cristoff left him as he was, he wasn't wasting energy or magic helping him when there were four women who needed that and actually deserved it.

When he approached the gagged and bound woman that was sobbing on the floor she jerked from his touch and he dropped to his knees "It's ok, I'm just going to untie you, I'm a healer, I can help you and the others." He said gently.

Her eyes widened on him and she held still while he removed her gag then pulled out his dagger and severed the ropes tying her elbows together behind her back.

"Please, Kisa, the one with red hair, they hurt her the most…" The woman pleaded as soon as her gag was gone.

Cristoff nodded, turning to the others while the conscious woman cradled the one that was weakly crying. Telling her they were going to be ok now.

Outside, Laxus made short work of the mage he was chasing, the man couldn't outrun lightning, and once he was shocked unconscious, he looked up to see Cobra had run his down and the man was shrieking in agony, the Poison slayers toxins seemed to get nastier when he got riled up in a chase or fight.

Grabbing his by the belt Laxus started dragging the man back toward the cave while Bickslow went to see if Cobra needed any help with his, it wasn't likely, but Bickslow got a kick out of seeing the Poison slayer handle bad guys, the man was always just barely inside legal means at times like this, sometimes bending the line to near the breaking point.

When Laxus reached the cave he saw the third man was unconscious…with a stick up his ass that was still smoldering….yeah, that had to have been Bickslows work.

Cristoff was working healing the women in the back of the cave and Laxus rolled his eyes, one was already hanging on him.

Cristoff noted Laxus' arrival but was busy. He'd gotten the crying woman awake, her worst injuries handled once he'd stabilized the other two and now had his attention back on the red head.

The first woman hadn't been wrong, the men had brutalized her likely because she was pretty, had red hair and larger breasts. He focused on getting bones set and knitting, repairing a collapsed lung and the two broken ribs that had caused it then removed the symbol for Berserker whore on her thigh, no woman should have to live with that in his opinion and regular medicine would leave a scar his magic could prevent.

"Could you…remove mine like that?...They told us what it meant when they branded it on us." The first woman asked, she was leaning against him, huddled there, he imagined seeking comfort from him because he represented protection and healing now.

He smiled at her "Let me get the other woman better stable then yes, I can remove them from all of you." He promised.

"Who…who are you…and…who is that?" The crying one asked, indicating Laxus who remained standing by the mouth of the cave waiting for the others.

"I'm Cristoff, that's Laxus, we're from the guild Fairy Tail. We killed the Berserkers attacking your village and followed the trail here to capture the men and rescue you." He replied smoothly, remaining focused on his work until the second woman was stable and the mark gone from her leg.

As soon as he lifted his eyes the crying one stretched her leg out before him, the mark on her leg as serious as the others.

He removed it, leaving no trace of the burn behind then did the same for the last woman. Before standing. The two conscious ones stayed right by him, standing but huddling to him, one at his back the other at his side.

Frowning he glanced around the cave "Laxus, could you get those blankets up there? I'm sorry ladies, I don't see your clothes." He apologized.

"They burned them, told us whores didn't need clothes. And my name is Lora, this is Fara, Kisa and Deelia." The first one told him.

Laxus came carrying the blankets, fortunately there were several and the women wrapped themselves in them, moving to wrap up their friends while Cristoff moved to stand by Laxus.

"Cobra caught the last one, no idea what he did to him but he didn't sound happy…that Bixs work?" He asked pointing to the man on the floor.

Cristoff snorted "Yeah…I just knocked him out, I don't fight that way."

"Cristoff…is…Lakeshore ok?" Lora had come over, was standing now against his side, Fara was clinging to Laxus who was more than a little surprised by that.

"The rest of our party was there helping to set things right when we left to come after these men so the village still stands, we'll take you back there before we return to Kurugi." He told her, her arms were around his waist then, both women clinging to uncomfortable Dragon Slayers.

"Well, he's unconscious, don't know if he'll live after what Cobra did, but he's out, passed out from pain." Bickslow was smiling as Cobra dragged the third man up and dropped him.

"Ok, lets get them tied up, we need to see these women back to Lakeshore then get these shits back to Kurugi." Laxus said.

It required a little shuffling, the women wanting to crowd in close to the men, not surprisingly feeling pretty vulnerable with nothing but thin blankets to cover them, along with three unconscious Sevenese and one, the redhead, still unconscious woman meant all four men were carrying someone. Bickslow grinning, got to the redhead first, declaring he refused to carry the man with the stick up his ass because Cristoff had forced him to pull it out and left him traumatized.

"So are you gonna heal his ass?" Bickslow asked as Cristoff carried the man like a piece of luggage by his belt.

Dark had fallen completely now and the moon was up so Cristoff was feeling the normal high he got when there was a nearly full moon and a sky full of bright stars shining down on him. That and the fact Bickslow was carrying the redhead were the only things that saved Bicklow from Cristoff using the unconscious Sevenese man to knock him flying.

"No. The stick was on fire, still smoldering when you pulled it out, I'm sure it cauterized any damage you made it do in your enthusiasm for violating a mans ass." Cristoff replied.

Laxus and Cobra both snorted and Bickslow narrowed his eyes at his little brother.

"What if it gets infected? You're a healer, you should care about these things." He said.

"Not with enemies I don't, if you're so worried you can always clean it for him with that tongue you're so proud of." Cristoff replied. Cobra coughed, chuckling, Laxus snickered under his breath.

"You've never had an issue with my tongue before, come on Cristoff, gimme some brotherly love…" Bickslow almost managed to land a lick on Cristoffs face but the Dragon Slayer hefted the man he was carrying up between them and Bickslow had to jerk his head back to avoid licking the man while Laxus and Cobra laughed.

"I don't get why you're so bent on me kissing the mans ass." Bickslow said, eyeing Cristoff.

"You're the one who started the discussion." Cristoff pointed out.

"Yeah because you made me pull the stick out." Bix said "You're the healer, you should have done it."

"You stuck it up his ass in the first place." Cristoff returned.

Bickslow shrugged "It worked, we got the badguys and saved the damsels, I would have shoved it up his dick if I could have."

"Yeah yeah, we all know how much you like playing with dicks." Cobra quipped.

"Jealous?" Bickslow grinned at the Poison slayer.

Cobra snorted "Sorry Bix, that part of my anatomy belongs to Lucy, along with the rest of me."

Bickslows grin turned wicked "Oh Lucy and I get along fine, the three of us could have some serious good times."

Cobras growl made the Seith cackle but the conversation ended as they came to the edge of the village.

"Lora!" And older woman spotted them and came rushing toward them, the woman still clutching Cristoffs arm let go to hug her and start sobbing.

Fortunately, all of the women families were still in tact, a battered older man and a younger version of him both with red hair collecting the redhead gratefully.

Lucy came out of a large house "Aww, you brought me a present?...I don't like it." She smirked at Cobra who grinned "You're hard to shop for." He replied.

"Master will like it better anyway." She smiled "He's in here." She led the men into the large house where Makarov was sitting in the livingroom sipping at some tea. The home owner was the leader of the Village, who had survived but barely. He was sitting in a chair and watched wide eyed as the three tied up Sevenese were dropped on his livingroom floor.

Wendy went to Cristoff "I couldn't do as much as I wanted to, he still has a broken arm and some other injuries." She told him unhappily.

Cristoff nodded "Sir, my name is Cristoff, do you have someplace quiet where you could lay back? I'm a healer, I'd like to finish what Wendy here started." He wanted to remove the man from where Makarov would be questioning the handlers, he knew what Bickslow was capable of and that nobody should be around to witness it but trusted Guild if Makarov decided to put the Seiths skills to use.

The man nodded and Cristoff helped him to his feet, Makarov giving him a slight nod of approval as he helped the man from the room back to a bedroom behind the kitchen.

He returned a few minutes later. "He'll be asleep for at least 6 hours. No sounds will reach him." He said and looked at Wendy, seeing her hard expression. "I healed him first before I put him under so relax." He snapped.

She nodded, her hard look still not softening "Yeah? Well I had plenty of reason to wonder."

Cristoffs eyes narrowed but he said nothing, returning his attention to Makarov.

"Bickslow, Cristoff, Laxus and Cobra stay here, the rest of you head back to Kurugi, get some dinner and sleep, we'll be along in a little bit." Makarov said firmly. Grumbling but obedient, the rest of the group filed out of the house.

"Allright, Cristoff wake one of them, you'll make sure they stay alive through questioning."Makarov said in a chilly tone. Cristoff nodded, it was far from the first time he had done this and a part of him was grateful again that he was here with Fairy Tail and his brother, because were he not, Wendy might have been asked to take this on, and after watching her throughout the events of the day he didn't like the idea of her facing this sort of thing yet.

She would have to one day, the world they lived in would eventually demand it of her, but for now she could cling to the innocence she seemed to resent so much. He was perfectly conditioned, trained flawlessly, to keep a prisoner alive, to even enhance the pain they felt, through an interrogation.

Bickslow touched the man he'd shoved the stick into with his boot "Him." He requested. While he'd made jokes and light of what he'd done to the man, he'd had his reasons. He hadn't been kidding about preferring to have had the chance to ram that fiery stick up the mans dick either. Rapists were something he deeply hated.

The man thrilled in violating those women? He'd given the man a nasty taste of violation, and he wouldn't feel bad about doing more.

Makarov pulled a vial out of his coat, swirling the red fluid around in it and smiling. "From our new potion master, what do you think Cobra?" He held the vial out and Cobra took it, popping the cap up and sniffing delicately before grinning.

"Beautiful work." He said appreciatively. Truth potion, and a really well made one, he doubted he could make a toxin any finer than what Emma had crafted there.

He handed it back and Makarov smiled "I still need you to listen as we go, even if he can't lie he can still withhold information." He said, handing the vial to Bickslow who stepped forward as Cristoff hefted the man into a chair and adjusted his bonds so he was well secured to it. Pulling the mans head back by his hair and pushing the vial into his mouth, gradually pouring the contents down the mans throat.

Once that was done Makarov produced a few pairs of sunglasses, handing them out, clearly he expected to be forced to use Bickslows talents, even Makarov held a pair as Cristoff brought the man out of his forced slumber.

He squirmed, groaning as he came to, the chair was cushioned but no doubt his ass still hurt plenty and he was sitting on it, tied firmly to the chair.

He cursed in Sevenese as he looked around him, seeing his companions out cold on the floor and the small man sitting in front of him, he spared Bickslow, who sat next to the Master a brief glance and glared at Cristoff, he'd seen that one right before he'd…what…passed out? He wasn't sure.

"Speak in common moron." The tall man with the steel visor over half his face said in flawless Sevenese.

"I shant be speaking." He sneered.

"Oh I think you will. We can force you if we need to but I like to give people the chance to avoid that. Now, why are you in Fiore?" Makarov asked in a light tone.

The man seemed to struggle then cursed first in Senenese then "Fuck…you gave me something didn't you, I can fucking taste it…"

"Indeed, now, last chance, why are you in Fiore?" Malarov asked again, just as lightly.

"I am Sevenese military, I am conditioned for this, well trained, you will get no answers from me." He replied with a sneer.

Makarov sighed putting the sunglasses on and Bickslow tipped his visor up off his face. A soft flash of green and the man shrieked, his body writhing in the chair, mouth flying open, tears flowing from wide open eyes. It lasted a couple of second before Bickslow closed his eyes, blinked and they were back to their deep wine color.

The man panted in the chair, looking wide eyed around the room, none of the men had touched him, the only thing he'd seen was the tall man by the short one push the steel visor back and that man was yawning as if bored. The amount of pain he'd felt had been deep, intense, and come from everywhere inside of him, how could he steel himself?!

"That was just a warning young man, now answer me, why are you in Fiore?" The short one demanded again, his tone still sickeningly light.

"Fuck you." He sneered and the world seemed to fall away, all he knew through every fiber of his being was agony, it was everywhere, in everything, he could form no thoughts to try to escape it because it was there too, in every part of him as if his very essence were being assaulted.

He couldn't even scream, breathing was impossible, sight failed him, his heart seized but some other power forced it painfully to function again adding a new level to the pain and then, it was gone…no pain…no trace of it…just his sweat slicked panting shaking body and his ass hurt but the deep agony was gone like it had hit in an instant, leaving him staring wide eyed as his vision returned, he looked around frantically this time.

"What are you doing to me?" He demanded shakily.

"It can be worse, and death wont come to save you from it as you just got a glimpse of, no, we can do this for days. I don't have the time for that though so answer me or we'll have to actually put effort into how much pain you feel and rip the answers out of you. We will get them from you, whether you consciously tell us or not, I can say though, the willing route hurts far less." Makarov said, then smiled again.

"Last time I ask, then we get mean. Why are you in Fiore?" He asked.

"Advanced scouting, seeing what sort of resistance Berserkers would face among other things." The man breathed.

"He knows more, a lot more." Cobra said and the man jerked his head to glare at the Poison slayer as he came around to stand behind the small couch Makarov and Bickslow were sitting on.

Cobra met the mans gaze, narrowing his eyes "How many other teams like yours have been sent?" Makarov asked.

The man glared, weighing his options, maybe if he remained silent he could buy time, though he wasn't sure what good time would do him, he had no idea how he was going to block out that pain.

"He's stalling, trying to figure out how to resist the pain." Cobra said. The man stared at him wide eyed, no…he was trained against mind readers, had blocks in place, a lacrima implanted under the skin on the back of his neck to guard against them.

Cobra smiled, pulling out a long thin dagger and walking over behind the man, sharing a look with Cristoff who nodded as he grabbed the mans head and forced his chin down, the man screamed as Cobra swiftly dug the dagger out of his neck then gasped as he felt the wound close…heal…his mind stalled…one of them was a healer…they could take him right to his death and keep him from it…make him whole again only to tear him apart once more…

Cobra dropped the little lacrima on the floor in front of the man and crushed it with the heel of his boot before returning to his spot behind Makarov.

"I didn't need to take that out of you…but I wanted you to see just how useless it is to try and withhold shit." He said coldly.

"I will say no more." He said and Cobra cursed inwardly, the asshole meant it, ready to face whatever the fuck sort of next level pain Bix seemed able to bring on him, death skirting, all of it, he had just given up and resigned himself to an existence of pain.

Makarov sighed "You don't need to, we'll just take the information out of you by force then. Go ahead Bickslow."

The Seith stood and stepped up to the man who jerked when Cristoffs hands fell on his shoulders, from those hands he felt the healing magic flow through him, felt every ache, even his damn ass, heal and become painless.

"Who…are you?" He asked weakly.

Cristoff extended his right arm in front of the man. In his current black leather armor his arm was bare from the elbow to where it connected into his shoulder. In vivid colors on his bicep was the seal of White Sea and the holy order of Royal Knights of Bosco. The man stared in horror at it, fear ripping through him.

These weren't Fiorans, they hadn't been found by accident if these were Boscan Knights from White Sea, that guild, particularly that order, was legendary for hunting dark magic, ending its users, and was part of the reason Seven wasn't bothering Bosco or her borders yet…

Cobra narrowed his eyes, he'd wondered why Makarov had left the crest of White Sea on Cristoff even though he was now a member of Fairy Tail, this had to be why, White Sea inspired terror in Sevenese, told this man Bosco wasn't unaware of what was happening, and that, more than all the pain he'd endured, terrified this man through and through.

Cristoff stepped back behind the man, placing his hands on his shoulders again while Bickslow stepped in front of him and lifted his heavy shirts, revealing an elegant tattoo than ran down his left side disappearing both up past the clothing and down beneath his belt, the man recognized it though, clan symbol, Bickslow had been born on the Grass Sea to one of its deadly nomadic clans, there was no faking that, it added more fear to what the man was already shaking with.

Setting his clothes back into place he bent down, red eyes locking with the mans wavering gaze.

"Now…lets see what you really know before I ram a flaming stick up your dick where I'd wanted to put it the first time." Bickslow sneered. Realization rocked the man right before a flash of green ended his ability to think at all.

A few minutes passed and Cobra was a little unsettled as the mans whole soul stilled, began rocking with what Bickslow was doing. He realized that was how Bickslow had inflicted pain before, he'd twisted the mans soul until it hurt, his very soul, the Poison Slayer suppressed a shudder, no wonder Seiths were so feared.

Bickslow stepped back after a few minutes, sitting beside Makarov shaking his head.

"He doesn't know why they were sent beyond what he told us, recon, testing out how Berserkers of different levels did against Fiorans. There are other groups, he doesn't know how many, being sent to test border strengths, defenses and to hook up with people already implanted into key positions both in the Government and the Magic Council of Fiore. Master…they already have spies…lots of them if this guys information is true and he believes it is, all over Fiore." Bickslow said. Makarov narrowed his eyes a terrible cold coming into them.

He looked up at Laxus…more than just the next in line to lead Fairy Tail, he was Makarovs grandson, beyond beloved and dear to him. This was the worst news, he had prayed this wasn't possible, that events were just isolated, not related.

No such luck.

He looked grimly at the young men around him, each precious to him, these were all his children and he would do what he must to protect them.

"Wipe their memories Bickslow, I don't want them to remember their own names when you're done." He said firmly. Bickslow pressed his lips together and stood again, glancing to Cristoff who took his place behind the man again while Bickslow did his work, one by one the Seith took away everything from the men about who they were, where they were from, what they had done, he stripped them clean and once the soul lost a memory, the mind could not reach for it ever again.

When he was done with the third he sat heavily, that level of work took a hefty amount of magic.

"Allright, gather them, lets get back to Kurugi." Makarov said. He refused to stay in the village, the people here had been through enough and the less time they spent here the less the people would think anything sinister beyond a random attack by dark wizards was afoot.

Let the people live their lives. Fairy Tail would carry the burden of this knowledge along with the King, Princess, and the Boscan monarchy. It seemed they could trust nobody else.

The walk back to Kurugi was a quiet one, Master sat happily on Bickslows totems floating along in comfort. It was very late when they finally got there and Makarov sighed, knowing his children probably hadn't eaten since that morning, were tired and shaken by what they had learned.

They left the men with the local authorities, telling them they were the dark wizards that had attacked the village of Lakeshore. When they reached the Swans Wing Inn where everyone was staying Cobra quickened his pace and hurried inside, the others finding him already holding his mate next to a table covered with warm food and bottles of beer.

"Oh man…kiss her extra for me man, Cosplayer…I love you." Bickslow moaned, snatching up a warm slice of beef and shoving it in his mouth.

Lucy grinned "We knew you guys hadn't eaten all day, so Freed and I convinced the cook to make all of this right before he closed everything down for the night."

"And Lucy and I both know how much Dragon Slayers eat so…" Freed smiled from the bottom of the stairs leading up to the rooms. He yawned. "Now that you are all safely back, I am going to get some sleep." He said, turning to head upstairs.

"Thanks Freed." Laxus called, Freed waved a hand not bothering to turn around.

The men all dug into the generous spread gratefully while Lucy nursed a distinctly strawberry smelling concoction of some sort. And sat quietly leaning against Cobra.

"I'm guessing we'll find out what happened when we get home?" She asked. Makarov nodded, "Yes, I won't discuss anything until we are back at the Guild."

Cobra leaned over and kissed her "I'll fill you in Tink once we're in bed." He whispered and she nodded, returning to leaning on him while he finished his dinner.

Once done Makarov headed upstairs while everyone cleared the table since Lucy had promised the cook they wouldn't leave anything sitting out then they all headed to their beds.

Lucy snuggled in against Cobra, smiling as he kissed her neck, his slow lazy movement making it clear how tired he was.

"Go to sleep Erik, you can tell me in the morning." She smiled.

"Mmm, but you want me…and I want you." He protested, yawning in spite of himself.

"I always want you, go to sleep, we can play in the morning." She whispered, that made him smile and he pulled her in tight against him, burying his nose in her hair so her sweet scent could work its wonders and calm his tension. He'd make it up to her in the morning.


	16. Chapter 16 Time to train

"You want me to…." Wendy blinked at the Master with wide eyes.

"You're going on a mission with Cristoff, now make sure to pack warm clothes, Shirotsumi is cold this time of year, there may even be snow. Your train leaves at 3 so you have time to prepare. Cristoff will meet you at the station." Makarov smiled warmly at her and Wendy nodded.

"Master, I don't think Wendy should be going on missions with men alone." Charle said firmly.

Makarov met the Exceeds firm gaze "Really? She went with Natsu, has been on more than one alone with Gajeel, even went on one with the Raijinshuu when Evergreen was away so that's three men alone with her, really Charle I'm not sure what the problem is. Cristoff is a Dragon Slayer, a fine young man from an upstanding Boscan family, he's a double s-class and, he's a seasoned experienced healer with a lot to teach her. He's even been knighted by the royal family of Bosco. He'll keep you both safe and teach Wendy a great deal."

Charle frowned "It's some of what he might teach her that I'm worried about." The exceed growled.

Makarov blinked "I have no idea what you mean Charle, considering how many missions you and Wendy have taken alone with men from the guild I see no reason why it should suddenly be an issue with Cristoff, now I'm making this an order, Wendy, go get ready, you have until 3." The Master said firmly. "Here is a copy of the job request, now run and go get your lunch so you can pack for your trip."

Wendy left the Masters office, not really listening to Charles ongoing grumbles. Her own protests were gone as soon as she read the request.

She sat at the bar and Mirajane came to her smiling. "You're going with our new Dragon Slayer to Shirotsumi right? I took that request in last night, the people are getting sick with some mysterious illness, I hope you two can help them, I told the master that you and Cristoff were the best hope for those people. What would you like for lunch today?"

"A turkey sandwich and a bottle of cola please. Yes I'm going, I'm sure we can help." Wendy replied. Mira smiled at her again, turning to give the order to Kinana while she went and got Wendys drink.

The Sky Slayer rarely cooked, she paid for the meal plan the guild offered with her monthly rent so she ate most of her meals at the guild.

"I still don't like this." Charle said irritably. "Charle, those people really need help and there's only one other healer in Fiore, Cristoff and I are the best option, we can do more, and Cristoff has so much experience, I can learn a lot while we help those people." Wendy returned, she wasn't going to listen to any more of Charles pedy barbs, not when there were people sick and she knew that she could help them.

She was anxious to get up there now, almost wondering if they could have left earlier. She finished her lunch quickly and hurried home to pack, Makarov had said to pack warm so she filled her bag with pants and sweaters and only one dress, changed into jeans a long sleeved blouse and trainers, grabbed her coat and smiled, she was right on time, she'd probably be there before Cristoff.

She almost ran to the train station, smiling when she saw Bickslows totem floating ahead. Right under them stood their master and he was talking with Cristoff, so she hadn't beaten him to the train station but she didn't mind that, she appreciated him being early. Watching his cool attitude before had made her doubt his compassion, made her wonder if he really cared about being a healer or was more into combat, she meant to show him she could become as powerful as he was, without losing her dedication to helping everyone who needed her.

She could surpass him without getting jaded like him, she was sure of it.

"Hey cupcake." Bickslow grinned at her. "If we need them Bix and Freed can come up to help us, Laxus is taking the week off so they won't be busy." Cristoff told her.

"We'd better go, thanks Bix." Cristoff bumped fists with his brother, grabbed up his bag and headed for their train, reaching back and handing Wendy a ticket "Master said we're looking at 14 hours or so even with this line we're taking so we don't have to transfer to another train in Oshiban. So I got us a sleeper compartment, since we'll be arriving in the early morning up there we'll just check into the hotel and head to the mayors office to get checked in and briefed. Only sleep you'll get until tomarrow night will be on the train." He told her.

"That's not sensible, you should rest, eat a proper meal and then start, Wendy need her rest." Charle said. Cristoff didn't answer, just walked onto the train and led them to their compartment, pulling open the door and letting Wendy and Charle step in before he followed.

"You shouldn't sleep in here together…" Charle began.  
"Ok, now that we've got privacy Charle I'm going to lay down some rules I won't budge on. First being you're not a fucking nurse maid and neither am I, Wendy isn't a damn child and if I hear you call her that even once I'll send you home. I'm in charge, I'm teaching her, going to help her expand her abilities and work on opening her second origin because she should damn well already have it by now, should have had it a while ago."

"I'm going to push her, I'm going to make things hard on her, I'll even let her get hurt and expose her to danger to force her to act so she can fucking learn how since everyone seems to have been babying the ever-loving fuck out of her to the point she's as weak as a 10-year-old when she should be damn near as strong as me by now. If you aren't here to help her, if you're just going to whine and bitch and try to get her back into diapers get off the fucking train now and stay behind."

The Dragon Slayer never once raised his voice, but his tone was ice cold and dangerous, he meant every word. Charles eyes were huge, her mouth hanging open.

"You…" She stammered.

"I mean it cat, I won't be babying her, if you expect me to you're in for a rude awakening. Master Makarov wants me to help her and I'm going to if I have to run over every damn member in Fairy Tail to do it. She won't get separate quarters on many real missions, there will be times she has to huddle with a team mate to keep from fucking freezing, so propriety doesn't mean anything, she's safest at my side and until she can handle split second combat transitions and not hesitate when startled, she needs to be with someone who can." He turned his back on Charle, hefting both his own and Wendys bags into the overhead, except from an insulated padded case, that he handled more carefully, setting it up in the overhead and securing it there.

"These are potions from Emma, a few elixirs, various fever reducers, anti-inflammatories and such, Master Makarov had Emma put a nice selection together for us, we'll need them." He told Wendy, who had sat down and was just watching him, glancing at Charle who was still trying to recover from Cristoffs stern warnings.

He sat across from her. Leaning back in his seat and stretching his legs out, seeming completely immune to Charles dark glare.

Wendy noted he, like her, seemed immune to motion sickness, likely the healing abilities had to be responsible for that.

His lecture for Charle had left her stunned, he'd done it once before, stood up for her but on a lesser scale than this. He was pretty rough about it and she was a little worried about just how hard he was going to be on her and some of the other things he'd said but even that excited her and filled her with hope.

She wanted to be stronger, desperately did, she could save people, he'd shown her healing magic could pull someone away from deaths clutches and that meant so much to her, she wanted to reach that level, and she was determined she could do it and not lose her conviction to help who needed her and not have to walk away like he had while people were suffering.

Charle stood then, wings out she went to the door "I'm going to get some tea, I'll bring some back for you chi…Wendy." She corrected herself, glaring at Cristoff who had only opened one dark eye to look at her and smiled , head still tilted back against the seat cushion.

Once she went out and the door was closed again he smirked "Not that the drink cart isn't about to reach this car…" He snickered.

Wendy narrowed her eyes, listening suddenly and made out the sound of the drink and snack cart nearby…she had to up her game, if she'd heard it she could have saved Charle the trip back several cars behind theirs to the dining car.

"You could have told her." She said frowning.

"Yeah, but she needs to go think and sort out how she feels about what I said. You know as well as I do she wasn't craving tea." He replied.

She sighed, sitting back and playing with a strand of her hair that was on her shoulder.

"Did you mean that, that you're going to be hard on me, put me in situations where I can get hurt and you'll let me get hurt?" She asked.

He didn't open his eyes "Every word, you've seen about how badly hurt someone can get and I can still bring them back, if you don't protect yourself, start learning to and thinking fast, reacting fast, I will let you get to deaths door before I step in because I can bring you back, so keep that in mind, you will NOT rely on me to keep you from getting hurt, you're going to get past the habit of doing that if you have to visit death a few times to drive the concept home."

His tone was firm, but not unkind. It still sent a chill through her.

"What about Charle? Will you let her get hurt?" She asked, narrowing her eyes.

"Don't worry about Charle, I won't let her die anymore than I'll let you die, but yes, I'll let her get hurt if she gets in harms way trying to be overprotective, she has to get over that shit." He replied.

Wendy growled quietly, and his dark eyes opened at the sound, meeting hers "Good…get mad, emotions feed your magic, when we face combat you'd do best to let them flow. Until your second origin opens you'll need the boost they give you." He said.

"My second origin seems really important." She sighed.

Cristoff looked at her, not sure how to respond to that, oh course it was, that she didn't know all of this bothered him, but he knew from Bickslow and Makarov how rough Wendys childhood had been and that she'd had less time with her dragon than the others because she'd been much younger than them when that fateful date had come. 777. He was lucky in the extreme that Nurem cared less about her own safety for a while than his education. Because while he had been born after the other slayers by a decade or more, and he was technically 3 years younger than Wendy even, he'd had his dragon until Acnalogia had taken wing again.

"You're a healer, your magic reserves make the difference between you being forced to let someone die because they have too many mortal injuries for you to heal, and being able to save them. You saw that, with that woman we saved. I didn't even have to dip hard into my second origin because you started using your magic with mine. The issue is, unlike combat mages, we have larger stores." He finally sat up, no longer leaning back.

"Your second origin will be nearly twice the size of your first, your third much bigger than that. The challenge is, to expand your first, which can only be done by using your magic hard, shocking your system, forcing it to compensate. I could tear open your second origin now sitting here on this train, it would kill you though if I did, because your first origin is so weak and small. See, the barrier between them is still seriously heavy because you've never expanded that first one. The barrier thins and weakens when you do that."

"When I open your second origin, whatever magic is in your first will rush out of you in the amount the second opens up space for, if the size difference is as great as it is right now? You'll die, if we can increase your first enough, I can keep you alive through the process and while it will hurt like all hell and you'll get sick from magic depletion, it won't kill you instantly…." He smirked at her "You'll just wish you were dead for about a day or two."

Wendy blinked at him in stunned amazement…Ultear had told her she couldn't open her second origin like she did the others but hadn't told her why, had just said she was too young. This had to be why.

"I wondered…we had help from someone a when we got back from Tenrou opening our second origins….but she wouldn't touch me." She said.

"Good thing she didn't. There are some significant differences between how healing magic taps your energy as opposed to how offensive magic does. You could do 8 roars for the cost of fixing a collapsed lung and broken ribs." Cristoff said.

Wendy smiled "Exactly." She agreed.

"I've counted it out during a battle, weighing how many offensive spells I could use and still save a down team mate while I was doing it, having to figure out the balance so we didn't both end up dead." Cristoff chuckled.

Wendy smiled "Well now I have a ratio."

"Not yet, your roars won't hit as hard as mine yet because mine can push more power just because I have more, that's another thing, as you crack open the origins the impact of every spell changes, heals will do more and cost you less magic overall because they do and offensive spells will do more damage and some will reach a point you won't even feel some of them pull on you. I have offensive spells I can use that don't really even scratch my magic energy anymore because the power of the cast makes them hit plenty hard." He told her.

Wendy blinked, she couldn't imagine that, everything she cast she felt it draw energy, especially when she healed.

"What about heals?" She asked "Do you have heals that don't tax you?"

He nodded "A few, and you will too, like troia, I know you use that a good bit on the other slayers, that spell should be costless."

He almost gaped, Troia was far from free, it always tugged on her, imagining casting that with no effect was hard for her to wrap her head around.

"The immunity to it will also go away, you see diminishing returns with it only because your second origin isn't open yet, once we get that open, it will hit harder upon the first cast, even Natsu won't have a resistance build to it because of that. I can cast one on him that would hold him for 3 weeks, and I wouldn't feel it, it just wouldn't pull on my reserves." He told her.

Wendy nibbled at her lower lip, letting that sink in.

"A lot of things will open up for you when we crack that second origin, you'll be able to do a lot more, start learning some bigger spells. I wanted to teach you an area healing spell that could affect multiple targets within the area while weakening enemies in the same space when we were taking on those Berserkers, didn't get to try that though because of Natsu and Erza storming in like they did. Had I cast it then the other Berserkers could have sensed it, it has a scent when it goes down like fresh rain, so I couldn't risk it, frustrating, but you can't learn to perform that spell yet, it would drain you too much right now." He said.

He sounded wistful then, and she could see some sort of odd pain in his dark blue eyes that confused her. He must have really wanted to show her that spell.

She was eager to learn, and suddenly realized how lucky she was to have Cristoff, he was a healer who could teach her, and beyond that, a fellow Dragon Slayer that understood that part of her who also had a better grasp of female dragon slayers than any of her kin did.

She may have lost Grandeeney, but she had a chance now to still learn from someone beyond Porlyusica, who could not teach her much on the magic end of things. Add in Emma, who was teaching her medicines, potions and elixirs and she had unlimited possibilities.

She just had to focus, concentrate on learning, on gaining everything she could from Cristoff because he, ultimately, was going to teach her the heart of her healing. Porlyusica and Emma could teach her options when her magic wasn't right for the situation, or would be overkill.

The drink cart came and Cristoff got a couple of bottles of beer, a bottle of wine, and a typical Dragon Slayers amount of snacks. Wendy watched him pour a glass of the wine and he caught her eye, he'd seen her look when he'd bought the bottle and had taken two glasses from the cart because of it. Charle could stick the tea.

He poured the second glass and handed it to her and she took it surprised. She'd bought some colas and bottled water and iced tea along with her own healthy number of snacks, stuck to kid stuff and hadn't bothered with more even though at almost 17, she'd been legal for nearly a year by Fioran law.

Nobody at the guild liked seeing her drink, well, except Cana, Lucy and Levy, Mira allowed it because legally Wendy had the right, but unless Wendy insisted, she often seemed to "forget" what the girl had ordered and would bring her lemonade, iced tea or a cola.

That he just seemed to assume she'd want some and offered it to her without any comment surprised her. She'd had wine once, but it was some cheap thing Cana had that had tasted terrible.

This on the other hand was sweet, tangy and delicious.

"This is good." She commented.

"Decent Moscato, I like a heavy burgundy too. My favorite drink is probably Dewars 25, but I enjoy wines, for travel like this I'm better off not drunk too, my resistance to motion sickness weakens when I drink too much." He chuckled.

"I'll remember that." Wendy smiled, if drinking too much wrecked her resistance to motion sickness? Yeah she'd seen Natsu suffer, she wouldn't risk that.

Charle returned a long while later, Wendy had already curled up on the bed by the window and Cristoff eyed the exceed with narrowed eyes.

"She fell asleep about an hour ago, was trying to wait up for you." He told her. Charle sighed, sitting down on the bed by Wendy, she pushed the young womans hair back from her face.

"I don't mean to hurt her, She just means so much to me." Charle said softly.

"Let her improve and get stronger, help me to help her by not standing in the way." Cristoff said softly.

"I don't want her hurt." Charle replied, watching the Dragon Slayer closely.

"That's not an option, she's going to have to get hurt to learn to protect herself, to learn how to walk you have to fall down a lot, true advancement with our kind of magic just doesn't leave other options. Healing isn't the magic that takes you out of harms way, it will always throw her into the worst of it. Especially if she means to hold onto those lofty convictions of hers." He said, his voice was quiet, soft, no malice, just a hint of bemusement.

Charle looked at Wendy then back at Cristoff. "She won't, her beliefs are part of who she is." She said firmly.

"Who a person is changes as they grow, so expecting them to stay the same, is the same as holding them back. You accept them as they are without strong expectations or judgement no matter who they become as they grow." Cristoff said.

Charle cocked her head, wise words from someone so young. "You will not make her another one of your bedroom conquests along the way?"

He smirked "She will not be a conquest." He promised. Charle narrowed her eyes, not quite what she wanted to hear, he was too smart for her to think he didn't alter what she wanted by accident.

"Sleep. We've a great deal to do when we reach Shirotsumi and you'll be grateful of the rest." He said lightly.

Charle would have protested, wanted to straighten out her demand that he not pursue Wendy. Wendy had flown into an irrational teenaged hormonal crush the moment she had met the man and now only the Exceed would be breaking up their time together when they weren't working.

Tall, handsome and even Charle had to admit, smart and charming in his own way, he was far to good with women for her to trust him around Wendy. She wanted him to promise to stay away. But it was like she was suddenly incredibly exhausted and couldn't think anymore.

Cristoff left the pair to sleep after pulling a blanket over them. He closed and locked the compartment before heading to the dining car. He went looking simply for some food with more substance than the snacks he'd had earlier and maybe another beer.

But then…there was a pair of women, one with beautiful dark blue hair, the other a brunette, and they invited him to sit with them…then back to their compartment.

"Gods…I love your hair…" The bluenette smiled, pushing her hands into his hair as she pulled him through the door. The brunette closed it behind them, reaching around from behind him to pull at the hem of his shirt, he let her pull it from him, kissing the bluenette while the brunette was nipping at the wolf tattoo on the back of his right shoulder.

"I Love the tattoos…do you have more of them?" She asked.

He hummed, the bluenetter refusing to release his mouth for a few more moments.

"I've several…on each hip, and this one runs down my thigh…" He told them, indicating the clan insignia.

"Oh…I need to see them all." The brunette grinned, and soon all of his clothes were gone and the he was undressing the bluenette while the other woman stripped herself and the trio fell onto the bed.

Kneeling between the two women he tilted his head back, letting them decide which wanted to be where as they explored him, grinning, making little comments to each other.

He loved women, had been raised to. Though much of his time growing up he had been with his dragon until he was ten, when Nurem had left him at that age he'd spent a time replacing her with a love and loyalty for his country and its rich culture.

Since he'd been blessed with height and strength from an early age byt the time he was 13 girls had well noticed him and he had his choice. While honing his magic, working in the guild, going on jobs with Kalebs team he'd spent hours in the guilds gym with some of its larger bulkier men building his body.

When he made s-class at 15 there had been no going back, women wanted him, he was already near 6 feet tall, built and as his father said "Had the hormones of ten bulls".

He'd been a very popular choice for induction ceremonies but also had set himself a goal of working his way through the beds of every woman in the guild that wasn't married or promised by the time he was 18, a goal he met not long after his 17th birthday along with cracking his third origin.

Women thrilled him, their touch, their scents, their bodies that, no matter how hard their muscle got, always had softness through their curves. He delighted in giving them pleasure, whether he got his own fill or not had become less important to him than making sure they were satisfied, if he didn't reduce them to boneless exhaustion, he considered the efforts a failure, and it had been a long time since he'd failed.

He hadn't been looking for this, but he was grateful they had seen him and approached him. The whole thing with Wendy kept riling him up, he was betting it was how frustrating it all was to him.

She had such huge potential, untapped because her guildmates spent all of their time with her trying to protect from everything they had kept her weak, kept her from growing both as a healer and as a woman.

One thing he had never understood was cultures that held their women back. Women were incredible, Wendy should have been as strong as he was by 17, he understood she was loved, even understood the desire to protect her, but the world wasn't a fluffy pretty place, a wizard had to have a certain skill set in order to survive and thrive.

When she reached her 20s, something coming soon, and they had all settled into their couples and started having children of their own, what would they do then? Would they still be looking her as a little flower to protect from the sun and rain?

He doubted that, no, they would start giving her hell about getting stronger, she would start struggling to get people to run with her because she was too soft, too easily a victim to the harsh dangers wizards faced.

He'd watched her reactions when they had been at Lakeshore, she'd spent so much time worrying and stumbling over indecision she had done nothing, not a single thing to help with the fight itself. He knew she'd driven herself to exhaustion healing people afterward but to him that was selfish.

Why did she think it was ok to hold back and hide behind the others, let them take on injuries she could have prevented from ever happening by joining in and helping and then leaving them to recuperate while she got to run around just using the magic she enjoyed most healing people and feeding her need to do that.

For a healer, she was walking a dangerous line and she probably didn't even know it. Healers weren't just rare because the magic was, in truth many classes could develop healing spells if they applied themselves, grew their magic reserves. It was just very difficult to do and the knowledge wasn't out there, people didn't write books about how to develop a great spell to ease motion sickness, or set a bone and start it knitting, those spells took more magic power than a massive offensive spell that would give the wizard a hefty rush of adrenaline, where a healing spell only gave the caster the satisfaction of knowing someone was going to walk home and be able to live a normal life.

Healers also tended to succumb to a sort of arrogance, where they let others put themselves into harms way protecting them…so they could heal the injuries afterward. They started, without realizing they were doing it, letting themselves be a target knowing their friends would save them, knowing their friends would get hurt in the effort, and unconsciously gauging while it happened that it would be fine because they would still be able to heal them through whatever happened to them.

In short, healers tended to become sadistic. Getting a thrill out of seeing people get hurt because one, it showed the person cared for them when they dove in harms way for them, and two, they would get to save the person by healing them. Delivering a sense of heroism in the person at the same time the person showered that healer in gratitude. Healing magic promoted that.

He'd seen Wendy do it. While he knew she wasn't a cruel person, didn't carry a malicious intent anywhere in her, it was unconscious, this issue, and it was something his dragon had warned him about many many times.

"The dragon side of you wants challenge, needs it, and if it can use a powerful healing spell instead of offensive spells that would have lessened or prevented the injury to the person in the first place by ending the threat, the dragon will take the greater challenge. For a dragon, letting a warrior take a beating in a fight is right, but it is not for a person, you must never do that, must never stand indecisive and rely on your healing to clean up after a fight if your participation offensively could have ended it and prevented injuries in the first place, it is never your place to let a human fighter have a fight, you are as responsible for preventing or lessening injuries as you are for healing them." Nurem had said.

She'd also warned that healers reached a point they knew they needed to get stronger, and since they were not doing so in combat, weren't wanting to drain their magic, strain themselves, expand their reserves through the much harder and more exhausting route of using offensive spells, they only wanted to heal more, strain and push themselves through healing, they started deliberately putting their companions into harms way by not fighting when they needed to, even drawing in dangers that could have been avoided, all so they could work themselves the way they preferred to.

Nurem had made work with healing magic a reward Cristoff had to earn by pushing himself the harder slower way using offensive magics. She'd out and out banned him from using his healing during fights until he had become such a good fighter, he was starting to surpass all of his peers in his age group. With the deeper magic reserves and greater initial impact his spells had because he was a healer, that happened quickly. It made offensive spells too easy, too little cost, boring. For him, but once he'd proven himself, honed his responses and was quick to jump into a fight, Nurem had started making him heal while he fought, which was more than difficult. Ranged healing spells were huge drains, and required focus, which, while fighting a pissed off clansman, wasn't easy to come by.

Yet she'd expected it of him. Just like he was going to expect it all of Wendy.

Clarity of thought, relaxing away tension so he could get to that calmer state, a definite benefit of sex for him. Thoughts about healing magic and his new student were drifting away as the women had their way with his body. He got more active once they stopped pushing his hands out of their way so they could reach some part of him they wanted to lick, kiss or nip.

He moved then, had already figured out how he wanted them, pulling down the top bunk he laid the bluenette on the bottom, spread her legs and thrust himself between them, she immediately was occupied while he hefted the other woman onto the edge of the second bunk, thanking the Gods again for his height, it was perfect, he settled his mouth between the legs of the girl on the top bunk while his hips worked the girl on the bottom. Problem solving had always been one of his greater skills.

There was no more thought about his guildmate after that for some time.

Cristoff sighed, after a few hours, he'd finally worn both women out enough they'd fallen asleep. He'd gone to the shower area, since the cabins didn't have enough room for proper showers there were male and female shower areas in the adjoining car. After a swift shower he returned to the compartment to find Wendy and Charle still sound asleep, and he probably was looking at about 4 hours of sleep but he'd definitely lived through worse.

He climbed into the bunk over Wendy and Charle and was asleep in moments.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxooxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

A/N Thanks as always to my co-author/brainstormer on this story, Musicera. It's a smaller chapter but I hope you all enjoy...DESNA


	17. Chapter 17 Moving forward

Gajeel laid back in the grass, trying to catch his breath, his hand still clutched the collar of the slender man he'd just run down and knocked unconscious and he had no intention of letting the little bastard go after what it had taken to catch him.

"Gajeel!?" He heard Levy, he'd had to leave her behind, poured on all the speed he had in him to finally catch this creep. The job he'd thought was going to be a simple, almost laughable one but that he had taken as a way to get Levy out of Magnolia so he could be alone with her had turned into a fucking nightmare.

Four days they had been chasing this little shit. He'd been stalking the mayors daughter, and at first it was believed there was a dark guild involved, which was why requests had gone out for help, but after the first day Gajeel knew it wasn't a Dark Guild, and Levy tore through the notes and letters that had arrived that had terrified the 13 year old girl and confirmed it, no magic in any of the letters, no hidden scripts, nothing.

The Mayor just hadn't wanted to believe his little girl had flirted heavily with an older man in secret then when the older mans interests had gotten too much for the girl and had scared her, she'd brought all of the letters out and started crying about being followed and seeing dark wizards.

That story they had finally gotten out of the girl at the end of the second day, the third they finally found out who the man was, then they ran him down. The sight of Gajeel on his doorstep had sent the tall slender man running.

He was 37, obsessed with a 13 year old. He was lucky he was still breathing, Gajeel wouldn't have minded pummeling him into a pulp, as it was Levy came to a stop panting and instantly scowled at him when she saw the mans bleeding broken nose. "You weren't supposed to hurt him." She growled.

He smirked, oh dear Gods he loved that she'd picked that little growl up…. They were rarely apart much anymore, and she'd started picking up some of his traits, the traits of a Dragons mate, she took far less shit off of people, sometimes gave him little to no choice about whether or not he was going to satisfy her desires, something he found intensely hot though he would never admit it, he enjoyed teasing her about being perverted now, and, she was starting to enjoy moments like this.

He scented it the moment her ire turned into something else, her large hazel eyes scanning the limp man then moving over the Dragon Slayer laying on his back in the grass beneath her. "How long will he be out?" She demanded. Gajeel shrugged, pulling the mans wrists back behind his back and clamping them together with iron before doing the same to his ankles and shoving him on his side facing away from where Gajeel was sitting now in the grass.

"Maybe a couple of hours or so…he ran into a tree it was not my..mmmph!" He smiled faintly as the script mage tackled him back onto the grass. They were well out in the forest outside the town, far from any trails or paths, he could sense everything just fine, knew they were plenty alone, but Levys urgency wasn't something he'd ever deny.

She fumbled with his belt, groaning into his mouth when her hand met the already firm bulge in his trousers. Dragon magic, he wouldn't tell his would-be-mate about it all yet, but one of the things happening was the link between them was trying to force him to act, to claim him, by making her like this, she loved him, he loved her, they wanted each other, the Dragon knew it and wanted him to take the final step.

He agonized over it daily. It have been almost 16 months now, since they had worked the club in Hargeon. Diplomats were trying to mend fences, ease tensions, only one spy had been ousted from within the Rune Knight ranks, and he'd been a Captain, in spite of that the council, and the Knights didn't believe there was more corruption.

The Hidden Hope team had been sent out 11 times in the last 16 months, each mission seeming to leave as many questions as answers but the King and Princess, Makarov and well…all of them, believed they were far from done.

The egg he and Levy had recovered rested safe still in the guild. Levy and Freed both spent their spare time trying to figure out how to help it along because all of the Dragon Slayers agreed, it was alive.

With something looming, the heavy weight of uncertainty over them, Gajeel just couldn't bring himself to take the final step with Levy.

He had one reason above all others. When something sinister came up, Makarov called on him, and the secret things he did for the guild didn't involve the horrors he had performed for Phantom Lord but they still sent him to dark places.

If heavy battle broke out, and something happened to him, Levy would die with him, as his mate, she would share his fate, and with whatever was happening still keeping a dark air of dread over Fiore, war still seemed to hang in the air and if it happened, he knew he'd be sent to fight, hell, he would run at it to protect his home, his family…Levy. So until that passed, he couldn't put her at that kind of risk, if he died, he wanted her to live.

Now since Cobra had come to the guild, those dark missions he was given he frequently no longer took alone, Makarov would send the Poison slayer with him, since Cobra had more contacts in the darker worlds than even Gajeel did.

He had even gone on two missions with Cristoff and Cobra, learning the Lunar Slayers skills at hunting dark magic and wizards hadn't been overstated.

It had been a tumultuous 16 months, and private moments with Levy, he cherished every one of them. Even the wicked ones like now.

She yanked his pants down, then shoved her hands under his tunic, shoving it up his body, she always had to feel his skin against her now, another very dragon-like trait he enjoyed and encouraged. His hands moving up her thighs, one gliding up her side to slid over a breast made her shiver.

She was half out of her mind, it hit her so hard sometimes, these powerful deep burning needs for him. He never seemed to mind at all, always found a way to satisfy her, she moaned as he slid her panties out of the way and she was able to lower herself down onto his thick length.

Gods did he ever satisfy her.

He teased her sometimes about it, how she'd gotten as bad as him, and she would blush crimson and vehemently deny it but she knew he was right. She had, now that she had free access to his body whenever she wanted him, she seemed to just about constantly want him.

The stress of the last 16 months or so, it had added to it. Her greatest comfort, her rock through all of it was Gajeel. She'd even given up her apartment at Fairy Hills and moved in with him a month ago, realizing when she stopped at her apartment to get some books to try and run down a lead on Dragon Egg gestation and saw the dust on her bedspread…she was kidding herself.

She couldn't sleep unless she was tucked up against him, if she managed to fall asleep without his arms around her she had horrific nightmares, usually centered around some of the missions they had faced in the last year.

Nobody said it, but all of them knew, war was hanging over Fiore and Bosco both. The countries hadn't been vocal, nor had they made any formal pacts, but they were secret allies, Boscos military might was far greater than Fiores, and its position made it enough of a threat, even, Pergrande and Caelum all had kept their distance but all three countries were warish, and would have loved to take Fiore, especially Seven, the increased strength and position taking over Fiore would give the Sevenese would allow them to finally take on Bosco.

So Boscos might and the threat of it jumping in had kept Seven at bay for decades, but something had shifted, and the Hidden Hope team knew it had to do with the spies and corruption happening in Fiore.

Something they were fighting hard against.

In the mean time, the pressure, the stress, got to all of them. So Levy had stayed by Gajeel, and he was always there for her.

Like now, his hips flexing, thrusting him into her hungry body, her hands splayed on his firm stomach, she loved the feel of his skin, needed it at times, would steal her hand under his shirt as they sat at the guild sometimes just so she could feel the warmth of him.

She met his eyes, driving herself harder, she knew how to get to him now, knew more of the things that melted the Iron Dragon. She drug her nails hard down his chest, smiling when he hissed and flipped them over, pinning her to the ground and driving into her so hard she saw stars for a few moments.

He pounded into her, which was just what she'd needed, to feel her Dragon unravel and give her a deep taste of his primal side. The part that had just hunted this man down, made him bleed. Why that had turned her on she wasn't sure, but it had, anymore chasing things down thrilled her.

"Ga…Gajeel! Ah!" She gasped out as she flew over the edge, he snarled into her neck, jerking his head to the side, something he did now and then that he wouldn't explain to her then growled out his own end, reversing their positions again so he could let his body go lax without crushing her.

She nuzzled against his face and neck, drawing out the rumble of approval she enjoyed pulling out of him now, almost a purr and she loved it.

"Mmm, much as I love that Shrimp, we need to get this jackass back to town so we can go home." He said smiling. Levy sighed, he was right, besides, she could enjoy him twice as much with no clothes on at all on the massive bed at home.

They set their clothing straight and Gajeel unceremoniously hefted the securely bound man over his shoulder like he weighed nothing and they started back.

"Please…just let me go…I won't bother Rachel anymore, I'll move to another town, really, I thought she was 18, she told me she was…" The man whimpered when they were almost back to town.

Levy frowned "You can discuss all of that with the Mayor, he might let you do that but ultimately, it's up to him." She said firmly.

The man begged with them all the way back into town but neither Levy nor Gajeel were particularly inclined to care at all about the mans position, he'd harassed a girl after she'd told him to stop, no matter how old he thought she was, he deserved to face the punishment he had earned.

Paid well for their work, the couple made their way to the train station and headed home, Levy curling into Gajeels side as the train started forward.

Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

Wendy heaved a sigh, glaring slightly at Natsu who grinned a little sheepishly as he returned to her and Erza. The Fire Slayer had set three roofs ablaze and the barn was a total loss, Gray had barely managed to get the horses and other livestock out of it.

Sure, they had outed the sprites that had been plaguing the farming village with destructive mischief for the last month, but the damages were probably more than the sprites had done in the whole time they'd been there.

"Natsu, I swear…" Lucy sighed, picking herself up from the dirt where she'd fallen when Natsu had run snarling past her after the three sprites that had snatched his scarf.

They all knew how precious that scarf was to him, and none of them were really all that mad that he'd lost his temper when the sprites had targeted it, but still…

Forest sprites were notorious for this sort of thing, and it had just been bad luck that a fire had driven these close enough to the village they'd noticed it and chosen to indulge their wicked natures.

Lucy brushed the dirt from her legs as best she could, "Well, at least my clothes just got dirty, they're still intact so that's a bonus." She chuckled.

Natsu held up the three sprites…pretty much barbequed "We got them though." He grinned.

"Yeah, but I don't know if the villagers are going to see the loss of a barn and the roofs on three houses as acceptable collateral damage." Gray snorted.

"It's fine, two of them needed to be redone this year anyway and that barn was nearly 100 years old, we can build another, it was infested with rats too and I think a lot of those vermin were killed in the fire since it…ah…burned so swiftly." The man who had put in the request had come up, the villagers were putting out the fires and Natsu tossed the dead sprites down and hurried to help when Erza, Lucy and Wendy all three gave him withering looks.

Wendy had about mastered hers now, and it sent shudders through the Fire Slayer almost as quickly as Lucy and Erzas did.

As tall as Lucy, though regrettably not as busty, Wendy had come into her own in the last 16 months. Proudly 18 now. She stood while Lucy talked with the job requester, wearing a short dark green dress that hugged her curves and knee high brown boots.

Her dark blue hair was pulled back in a pony tail and Charle stood near her, with Happy on her opposite side.

She had been enjoying the last couple of weeks, taking a few missions with Team Natsu was almost a break for her. None of them pushed her or made her fight in front.

She'd been running with the Raijinshuu for the most part, and she'd come to love doing that, Evergreen was endless fun and an incredible shopping partner, and the money was always very good, she'd never had so much jewel in her account as she did now.

Still, she hadn't opened her second origin yet and felt like she was beating her head against a wall. Cristoff insisted she was nearly there, that if she could get past this plateau she seemed stuck on the barrier would reach the point he could open it without it potentially killing her.

The Lunar slayer still drove her hard, and still distracted her immensely. Three weeks and three jobs with Team Natsu away from the pressures of her training hadn't been something she'd been expecting, but Cristoff had come up with the idea and she'd taken the offer immediately.

The Raijinshu were taking a week off, Laxus wanted to spend time with Emma, Evergreen with Elfman, and Freed wanted some heavy library time because he thought he had another idea about the Dragon egg. Cristoff and Bickslow were happy to just relax so he'd suggested she go with Team Natsu. Cobra would be running some errand for the Master.

The Raijinshu would take on a mission or two without her while she was gone.

Once they established how much of the reward they would get to keep…not much. They headed back toward Oshibana. Wendy wasn't sure how she felt about this little break from her training ending.

On the one had she was grateful to be getting back, she honestly missed what had come to be her training team the Raijinshuu, and…she had missed her mentor. She and Cristoff had settled into an odd sort of tension laden friendship. They teased each other mercilessly, she hit him about being a lecherous playboy, he got her over being an overly virtuous prude.

They got along well anymore, and he'd even made peace with Charle who grudgingly admitted she liked him, and that Wendy had grown far stronger since she'd started working with him.

"Your abilities really have improved immensely Wendy." Erza said, walking alongside her. Wendy started, not even having realized the re-quip mage had come up next to her.

"Thanks Erza, yeah, Cristoff really hammers the offensive magic into me, he doles out the healing work like candy, drives me crazy since that's supposed to be our focus and I don't really feel like I've gotten a lot better with my healing since we started working together, but yeah…I hit harder." She smiled.

"No kidding! Those bandits on the last town didn't stand a chance, the rest of us didn't even need to step in!" Gray was smiling at her.

Wendy grinned. She'd been pretty proud of that. They'd been fighting a large organized group of bandits that were hitting the train line going out through Peace Village. 24 of them. Some were magic users and the bandits had gotten the drop on them, literally, jumping down on them and attacking from a waterfall they had been resting near.

The roar of the falls and direction of the wind had masked their approach from the two slayers. When an arrow had shot down right at her, Wendy had heard the whistling noise and had whipped around and thrown a wind slash out, shattering all of the arrows the bandits had fired down on them.

It was move that before Cristoff never would have happened. She might have heard the whistling noise before but would have frozen up, wondering if she should do something and what that something might be and she, Lucy and Gray all three would have been hit.

But because Cristoff had been relentlessly pushing her to react intelligently and instantly to threats the moment a sense alerted her to one, she had done just that.

She couldn't count how many times in the last sixteen months Cristoff had let her take attacks, let her get injured, had stopped others from stepping in and protecting her. He'd gotten into some heated arguments with Laxus, Evergreen and even Bickslow over it. Gajeel had outright attacked him at the Guild hall one day when he'd found out Cristoff had stood back and let Wendy get ambushed and forced to fight off three large criminals near Hargeon shortly after they had returned from their mission in Shirotsumi.

As he'd promised though, he did step in when she started losing too much ground, and she'd now felt his healing many times, so had Charle.

It had been really rough for a few months, the master had been forced to step in, because Wendys protective kin and many other members of the guild had been furious over Cristoffs methods, even Wendy had purely hated the man for a while.

Until his efforts started showing results.

On missions not with the Raijinshuu it showed most. Because Laxus' team went on such high level jobs it wasn't as clear until she went on less difficult ones with others.

Gajeel had been nearly murderous toward Cristoff until she had gone with him and Levy a few months ago to clear an area of giant rats, and when the requester said giant, they meant taller than trees giant they had discovered.

Gajeel had been helping Levy with one and in his efforts, and Wendy had gotten a little separated, enough so that one of the massive things had focused on her, and with Gajeel and Levy already taking on three, Wendy had been on her own.

She'd been able to bring it down though, a few slices, a wing attack and roar later, the rat was down and she was helping Gajeel and Levy.

It had stunned and impressed Gajeel, Wendys prowess in that fight, to the point he'd apologized to Cristoff when they had gotten back and hadn't said a thing negative about the mans work with Wendy since.

"Thanks Gray." She smiled. On the train they chatted about maybe going shopping tomorrow, Christmas was just a week away and they all needed to finish their shopping.

"So Lucy, getting anything special for Cobra?" Erza asked smirking. Lucy rolled her eyes, Gray groaned. He'd calmed down about Lucy being with Cobra, the Poison slayer had proven he was good to his mate, and Lucy certainly was happier than any of them had ever seen her since the pair had mated, even if it had been a bit of an accident, it clearly had worked out.

"I've gotten him a few things, but I have a big surprise Emma has been helping me with." The blonde smiled and no amount of pleading could get more out of her.

"I..I was trying to think of something to get for Cristoff." Wendy admitted then. It had been really bothering her. Charle had gotten the man something and she, who he had been working so hard to help and teach, had nothing for him yet and Christmas was just a week away!

"Well, you should get him something. Much as I hate to admit it…he really has done a lot for you, I didn't like his methods at all at first, but the results are undeniable." Erza said.

Wendy nodded "I know, I realize it now, and I want to get him something, you know Lucy, his magic is seriously heavy in celestial power, it's mostly centered on the moon, but he uses stars too, like you do, so I was hoping you might have an idea." She looked at the blonde hopefully and Lucy nodded, frowning with thought. "I've got some ideas, I want to go down to Hargeon tomorrow, there are some things I want to get down there, you guys up for it?" Lucy asked.

Erza smiled "I would love to! There is some Minstrellan silk I'd like to get for Cana. She mentioned she'd love some a while back and I wish to get her some."

"I'm in, absolutely." Wendy agreed. The rest of the ride home they discussed their gift ideas.

It was close to dinner time when they arrived at the guild and the place was loud and warm and busy. Snow had covered Magnolia over a week earlier and hadn't melted.

Cobra was there to sweep Lucy into one of his Lucy melting kisses her team had learned to walk on by and leave them to it, when they were reunited sometimes neither one wanted anyone bothering them.

Erza went straight to order her dinner, with cake of course, before sitting down and Wendy immediately searched for the Raijinshuu while Charle flew over to see Pantherlily where Gajeel and Levy were.

They were all there, Bickslow waving his mug of beer around talking about something that had all the others grinning. Evergreen in Elfmans lap, Emma sitting blushing intermittently beside Laxus. Freed was smiling, for once not buried in a book and Cristoff was trying to get his brother to sit down, laughing and clearly enjoying himself.

Smiling Wendy started toward them.

"Careful lady, fair warning, Bix and Cristoff just got back from a week in Akane beach, Bix is recounting their adventures right now, you might not like em, they're Bix and Cristoff after all." Cana warned.

Wendy shrugged, she'd heard plenty, hell, she'd seen some at this point. The lecherous Pradesh brothers no longer surprised her, even though sometimes she felt sharp pangs in her chest at times.

She drew a breath and steeled herself. More than a year in Cristoffs company had taken the youthful hormones out of her attraction for the man but it was still there, still strong too.

She could see the appreciative looks some of the young men of the guild gave her, more now than ever because she'd grown so strong and that strength had created some real confidence in her. Romeo had even expressed interest a few months ago but they were, and always would be, just friends.

He, like her, was maturing, he'd filled out more, was no longer skinny looking, was as tall as Gray and Natsu now and had a girlfriend, had had a few honestly. Wendy still had never even kissed a boy, a fact that almost made her feel humiliated when she realized it.

Watching Cristoff laugh, he looked incredible in a wine colored thermal, his black hair pulled back in a loose tie with a couple of rebellious strands loose, earing glinting silver against his skin that did seem more tanned than normal. Yes it was still there, her body warmed watching him, that same pull toward him she'd felt since she first met him. It was different now, but still there.

That ambition from more than a year ago, that her first kiss would be with him still hung in the back of her mind but somehow it almost felt more distant than it had back then.

Sighing she kept moving toward them.

"…so I go to get him, sure he's gotta be in some sort of trouble and there he is, passed out buck naked laying across this bed with 4 women laying in various places across him. This after he'd given me shit about the damn twins!" Bickslow was laughing.

"Only because that's all you ever reach for, you never do more than 2, you've been invited plenty of times! Hell, those women would have joyfully had you I would have been happy with that brunette!" Cristoff shoved his brother and Bickslow cackled "Hey! Don't spill the ale little bro…that's like a sin, Cana will come over and slap you around!"

Cristoff grinned back at him "I might like that…" he said wickedly.

"Wendy! You're back! How were the missions?! Come save us from Bickslow and Cristoffs vacation stories!" Evergreen called brightly.

Wendy smiled, grateful there was no blush on her face she boldly walked right up to the table and sat down beside Cristoff, her usual spot and he eyed her sideways smiling "Well, I don't see any more muscle, but then you are wearing a jacket over that dress. How was it?"

She smiled "I did fine, took down some bandits, we even got to keep most of the reward from two of the jobs, not much off the third though, Natsu got pissed at some sprites for stealing his scarf." She replied.

"Not surprising, he's seriously attached to that thing." Laxus said.

Dinner came and went, they ate laughing and joking and Mira brought over some wine bottles. "From the vineyard near Akane Beach, I'm not normally big on wine but I gotta admit, Cristoff really knows em, he made me go with him to go buy a few cases for the guild." Bickslow was saying as Mira set down a tray of glasses.

Cristoff stood "There's more to life than Scotch big brother." He grinned.

He was bood by Bickslow, Elfman and Laxus though.

As usual he didn't skip Wendy, placing a glass poured near full in front of her. Before finally sitting down beside her with his own.

"Fairy Tail!" Bickslow toasted and that was met with a loud response as glasses all over the guild went up.

"Damn, ok, I may need a few bottles of this." Laxus admitted.

"It's a manly wine." Elfman commented.

"What is it? Let me see one of the bottles." Evergreen said reaching and Freed passed her one to look over.

"See? You heathens, I like a hard liquor as much as anyone but a Grenache that's semi-sweet…sex in a glass." Cristoff grinned.

"Yeah well you'd know what that tastes like." Wendy said. Bickslow almost spewed his wine, laughing "Damn! More than just your magic getting stronger cupcake, your teeth are getting sharp!"

Cristoff snickered beside her, raising his glass to her before taking another long drink.

Wendy smirked.

The evening drew late and Cristoff and Bickslow headed out, walking through the snow in comfortable silence for a little while.

Cristoff had bought a house just a couple of blocks from Bickslows, his overlooking a park with a large pond that was currently frozen over. So the brothers usually walked home together anymore.

Cobra had moved with Lucy into a larger place a little closer to the guild so both men were living alone again.

Cristoff had never been one to feel lonely or to be troubled about being single, that was more Bickslows speed than his. He knew his brother sometimes felt badly about how people feared his magic, and how women rejected him for it, or at least they rejected relationships with him, none of them had the least bit of trouble fucking him.

Cristoff had never worried about it though, until coming to Fairy Tail. He'd thought it was the Fioran culture getting to him, they so valued relationships, were a relationship preferably with marriage before sex sort of culture.

He knew it wasn't though. He hid it so well he had kept himself from facing it for a long while but he knew. Wendy had gotten to him. He'd felt it when he'd first met her, the hard pull, his dragon about going crazy inside him. He'd blown it off, nerves over joining the new guild, special excitement over meeting another healer and more than that, getting to work with her, help her.

Then she was a Dragon Slayer. Nevermind the beautiful brown eyes that so often were soft, warm, filled with concern and care for others. The spitfire personality, the shapely body or any of that. The bottom line, his dragon had made clear. He knew it, had been struggling with it for over a year now. Keeping his distance.

War hung over this country, there was so much going on it was overwhelming, his own country worried as well, if Fiore fell, Bosco would face a war on more than one front.

It hadn't happened, he knew the team here at Fairy Tail were playing a major role in keeping it at bay too, but he still worried.

In the midst of it all was the beautiful young woman that dominated his thoughts. He could present a calm cocky exterior, he was well practiced at it now, but he knew. He had a feeling Wendy knew too, but his own seeming lack of reaction coupled with her inexperience had made her doubt it, his continued lecherous ways right under her nose keeping her doubting it but that couldn't last, even if it could he didn't want it to.

Their dragons knew, he had accepted it months ago, shortly after they had finished the job in Shirotsumi, when he'd put so much on her and she had risen to it. Yes he'd been captured and so had she during the initial fight.

They'd forced her to watch them torture him too, something he still wished he could have prevented, but it had to happen, because once his blood was drawn, once the women were on him, abusing him, hurting him, Wendy had finally found her fury, learned how to tap into it, and even exhausted from the first fight, she'd expanded her strength, thinned that barrier to her second origin by a large margin all at once.

She'd destroyed the bizarre coven of Succubi, the lacrimas they'd recovered had been a terrible piece of evidence about what they already knew was happening. The succubi had been given power increasing lacrima to experiment with, see how much they could extend the power draining abilities of a succubi. So one succubis drain on a man had been passed through skin on skin contact, even as simple as hands touching, form person to person until one succubi could be draining as many as 30 men instead of the 5-6 they usually maxed out on.

Who had given the lacrima to them they didn't know. The succubi had committed suicide in the jail, or that was what Fairy Tail had been told, nobody was fully convinced about that.

After Wendy had climbed onto the sacrificial alter he'd been chained to, freed him, started healing him, she'd tapped right into his magic, something he knew she should not be able to do, yet she could, she could lace her magic with his and he could do the same with hers.

It was unheard of…but then…so were two healing Dragon Slayers being mates. He knew it, she did too, and it was something they had been meant for from birth. He'd been born three years after Wendy, and he'd been born to belong to her and her alone.

Grown up to be all she needed, right down to the time loss she'd had allowing him to get stronger, to learn what he needed to know to be able to help her when they finally came together. To let him get powerful enough to be able to fight her and claim her.

It was painful, heart wrenching at times being around her. Knowing what she was to him but also certain he could say nothing, do nothing because for him to train her, to do what she needed him to do, he had to stay at the distance he was at.

In order to cause her pain, let her suffer, tear open her second origin when it was time and risk killing her, he couldn't be mated to her. As her mate he could never cause her harm, would never let her suffer or inflict pain on her or allow her to face danger alone. It wouldn't be in him and he knew it. So he kept his distance, he had no choice.

"You're more brooding than normal, usually you aren't so grim looking, worried Wendy won't like what you got her?" His brother smiled.

Bickslow knew, was the only one who did for certain, only one who had known even before Cristoff. He'd said he'd seen Wendys soul and Cristoffs dig into each other with a vengeance so strong it had triggered his magic it was so powerful, he'd been unable to miss it. That Cristoffs now was laced through with the soft green of Wendys, and Wendys held the deep blue of Cristoffs.

His older borother was the only one he could talk to about the whole thing, the only one who knew how much Cristoff had suffered the last 16 months. Forced to keep his distance from the woman he'd been looking his whole life for.

"Naw, she'll love that." Cristoff smiled. He'd gotten Wendy a few things really. He'd had a set of the enchanted leather armor made for her in a dark green because she loved that color. An Eluris cloak because her winter coat was, to be nice, a worthless piece of crap. The most special thing though was because of her fascination with he and Bickslows clan insignia.

Bickslow and Cristoff had been born to Veshuri clan, a clan now wiped out, but it had been thousands of years old before the massacre that had ended it. The Veshuri were called the Sea Wolves, and throughout the clan insignia were wolves, Boscan Island wolves, beasts as large as dire wolves, intelligent and deadly that lived on the larger floating islands in the Grass Sea and hunted out on the Sea itself, running down prey as deadly as Grass Runners.

The Veshuri had tamed some, kept them as familiars and they were the clans symbol. Most of the clans had animals as their symbolic sprits. There were little gems in Bosco, when crushed they would reveal to you what your familys spirit beast was.

His, Bickslows, of course, was a wolf, all of the Pradesh family bore a wolf tattoo somewhere on them. He and Bickslow had told the Raijinshuu about it while on a mission once, and Wendy had adored the idea. So he'd had his father find and send him a spirit gem.

He was giving her that with the other more practical things along with, and she had sworn she wanted it, an appointment with a tattoo artist to have her animal tattooed onto her wherever she chose.

"You're doing good little brother, she's stronger than ever, that barrier is getting thinner…" Bickslow said. He'd been after Cristoff to at least tell Wendy, to talk with her about things, let her know how he felt, but he understood the reasons his little brother didn't.

Understanding them though didn't mean he liked them. It was his opinion the young couple could make it work, that Wendy wouldn't have to live semi-confused, frustrated and doubting herself, and Cristoff didn't have to suffer silently endlessly trying to keep his distance from the only woman he had ever felt anything real for.

He'd watched his brother suffer more and more as he had gotten closer to Wendy, as his feelings for her had gained substance beyond the draconic foundation laid by his dragon soul and magic.

Cristoff didn't know but the other dragon slayers had long since figured out what was happening between he and Wendy. Laxus had been ready to beat Cristoffs head in when Wendys second mating season had been hard on her and she'd returned battered. One of Sabertooths twin dragons had scented her and gone after her, she'd fought him, he'd escaped alive, but barely according to Wendy, who had been horrified by what she had done.

Laxus didn't want her to go through another one, knew damn well Cristoff was meant to be Wendys and wanted Cristoff to stop "messing around." Mate with Wendy, so she could be happy and safe.

Bickslow had stepped in, standing up to Laxus, something he very rarely ever did, and had convinced the Lightning Slayer to let the two figure things out on their own. Pointing out Laxus himself still hadn't figured things out with Emma, and Gajeel still hadn't mated with Levy and Natsu…well…Natsu went fishing.

Bickslow knew Cristoffs season hadn't been pleasant for him either. He'd gone where Cobra used to go, an isolated spot in the western part of Fiore. Cristoff usually didn't have bad seasons, he had such a calm personality generally he wasn't as violent or savage as the other slayers often were, likely because he was a healer.

But he'd had a bad one, Bickslow had been forced to help him through it, the chains that had kept him in the abandoned old castle ruins dungeon were thick, heavy. But without them, Cristoff would have gone hunting for Wendy, couldn't stop himself.

Next one, if things hadn't changed, would be easier, Freed had gone out to the ruins and promised to return before the following season and set up some hefty rune barriers to keep Cristoff from acting on his instincts.

Freed had also promised Laxus he would go and fortify wherever Wendy went, which he knew now having discussed this with her where that was.

"Yeah, I know, hopefully, if we get into some hefty fights on some jobs after Christmas and she scrapes down some more of it, I can open it before next mating season." Cristoff said.

He had promised Bickslow he would tell Wendy everything once her second origin was open. That he could help her at a more leisurely pace, within the confines of his own loyalty to his mate after that was done.

So Wendy didn't know it, but her lack of a second origin was keeping Cristoff at bay. Bickslow had told Cristoff that might be the damn motivation she needed to train harder, but Cristoff wouldn't hear of it.

"Hey, I still think you're a whore, and a shit, but I'm proud of you little brother." Bix said firmly when they reached Cristoffs block and his house came into view.

Cristoff smiled "This sucks…never thought I'd see a day where I finally want a woman, she wants me, and I have to stay back for her sake…I feel like I'm ruining everything…"

Bickslow laughed "Well, she was looking at you like she still wanted you plenty Cristoff, so I wouldn't worry if I were you."

Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Christmas eve dawned snowy, but the winter weather was gentle, the snowfall light and picturesque. The guild was packed to the gills, the massive tree almost dwarfed by all the gifts.

Wendy was intercepted by Erza, who was beside herself because Jellals gift had been himself, on one knee that morning and she had the hefty diamond on her finger to prove it. The woman swept her into a hug, wishing her a Merry Christmas and shoving a gift into her hands before letting her go.

The Raijinshuus table was unusually full. Lucy and Cobra were there along with Elfman, but Wendy was happy to squeeze herself in beside Cristoff, having her thigh rubbing against his didn't bother her at all.

They had all agreed to exchange gifts on Christmas day at Laxus' house, everyone in the Hidden Hope team would be there.

The guild spilled outside after breakfast for an epic snowball fight that Gray, not surprisingly, dominated, not going back inside until everyone was soaked and had to go home to change or risk freezing.

Returning for dinner, the guild passed out its gifts to its members via Mira and company and the music started, the drinks flowed and everyone had entirely too much fun. Especially Cana when she got hold of the lacrima that controlled the mistletoe and winked at Lucy, who bit her lip and waited, knowing what Cana was likely to do.

"HEY! Laxus! Emma!" Lisanna cried, pointing at the pair who were sitting side by side.

Laxus looked up shaking his head when he saw the heavy bundle of mistletoe, Emma looked confused because she was Boscan and had no idea what it meant beyond being a toxic plant she knew the guild had ordered in abundance this month.

Her confusion though vanished when she was gathered up in large arms and Laxus kissed her.

They had long since been kissing each other, in fact, Emma had experienced one of Laxus' heavy make out sessions in his office just before dinner, but kissing in front of the whole guild was a whole different thing entirely.

The little potion master blushed crimson but kissed the Dragon Slayer right back when he started to pull away, earning loud whistles and cat calls from all over.

It didn't deter the little potion master though, who stood and got better leverage to better kiss her dragon from and Laxus was the one left reeling by the time she pulled back.

She'd just sat back down when the Dragon Slayer stood, mumbled something about needing to get his house ready for tomarrow, snatched Emma right out of her seat and carried her outside.

The rumble of thunder left no doubt he and Emma had left.

There were a few moments of stunned silence but Cana wasn't done.

Evergreen and Elfman were forced next, and this time the manly man instead of the woman blushed brightly.

"Little brother…cupcake." Bickslow smirked, pointing upwards. "Wendy! Cristoff!" Lucy called out. Wendy turned six shades of red and Cristoff drew a breath looking pained for a moment before a smile was forced into place.

"Her first kiss so make it good Moon boy." Cana snapped, seeing his expression and knowing he meant to peck and run.

Cristoffs eyes widened "What?! You're kidding!" He looked aghast at Wendy who looked down "No…I really never have…" She admitted softly.

That really was, to Cristoff, wrong on too many levels. No wonder she was so shy, he knew she was a virgin but not even kissed?! Had she not dated or anything yet? He'd have to ask Bickslow later.

He stood and Wendys eyes flew wide, why was he standing!? Couldn't he just kiss her while they were sitting and she could still sort of hide a little?!

She turned her face away and he narrowed his eyes "Oh no you don't, I've taught you a lot I can sure as hell teach you this." He grabbed her, lifted her from the chair set her on her feet and the next thing that happened ended Wendys thinking and worries.

She was pulled into him, his hands moved, one sliding behind her head the other tilting her head back and then warm lips met hers and the world tilted sideways. The spark was beyond that, it was like everything fell into place in an instant. Inside both of them dragon souls both roared to life and calmed, purred in approval.

His scent, his taste, the feel of his body against hers, it was perfect. Why had she doubted this? She couldn't now, there couldn't be doubt, she knew, and he had to know too, as his lips moved over hers, he kept the kiss light, but it was their first, Wendys very first ever, so it didn't matter, the depth was there no matter what he did.

He was pulling away and she growled and she felt him stiffen, tense up hard at the soft sound but she didn't want it to end, she wanted more, so much more. All of him, his very soul she wanted now.

He pushed her back, moved away immediately, and her dragon thrilled seeing the response in him, his eyes had turned silver, and he squeezed then shut the moment he realized she'd seen them, when he blinked a moment later they were dark blue again.

"There, I hope that was good enough Cana." He managed and left, gone out into the dark snowy night so fast nobody had a chance to say anything.

"You sure know how to clear a room Cana!" Someone quipped

"Fuck off!" Cana snapped back, blinking wide eyed uncertain about what had just happened.

It had looked good, Wendy damn near melted and Cristoff looked more than a little affected, perfect right? So why did the man take off?

"Shit…that was stupid Drunk." Gajeel said quietly "Stay here shrimp, help Wendy…" He said and hurried out after Cristoff, Bickslow right on his heels.

"Take it easy Gajeel, he didn't mean anything." Bix said hurriedly.

"I know what happened, I know what I saw, I know damn good and well what those tow are to each other, do you?" Gajeel demanded, running just slow enough to keep from slipping in the snow.

The moon was out, which meant Cristoff was at full power, so Gajeel knew better than to expect to overtake him as long as he was running, but he had the stamina to follow wherever the younger slayer went.

It wasn't far, he'd stopped a short distance from the guild and was leaning against a building where the moonlight could hit him. When he looked up at Gajeel and Bicklows approach both saw luminous silver eyes, in the moonlight Cristoffs eyes always turned silver.

"I know…I fucked up…you don't need to tell me." He sighed.

"No, the drunk fucked up and put you in an impossible situation, if you hadn't kissed her she would be devastated, you kissed her and now she's just dazed and confused." Gajeel said.

"Think I can save it…convince her I didn't feel a damn thing and keep things like they've been?" He asked.

Gajeel frowned "You mean you've known?"

The Iron Dragon had been operating on this whole Wendy situation under the impression that Cristoff was an arrogant lecherous man that had no clue about his dragons desire for the Sky Slayer, that he was oblivious, made that way by the fact he treated sex like an aspirin when he was feeling a little run down.

Gajeel had slept with his share of women, but he knew he didn't hold a candle to the brothers he was looking at right now. He'd heard Bickslows recount of their fun down in Akane beach, even Gajeel had blushed a couple of times.

"Since I met her." Cristoff admitted.

Gajeel growled, grabbing the other slayer by his shirt. "and you've let her doubt herself? Let her wonder if she was crazy, having some sort of teenaged hormone ride?!" He rumbled.

Cristoffs eyes narrowed.

"I have also put her in harms way, let her get hurt, hurt her myself and intend to keep doing that until that fucking second origin of hers can be cracked without killing her. You think I could do any of that if we were mated?!" He snapped back.

Gajeel blinked, this young slayer wasn't clueless, he knew damn good and well what he was doing.

"You think I've enjoyed the last 16 months? I've been alone with her, slept in the same room with her, I've even slept in the same damn bed with her a few times and not touched her, not even kissed her, that was her first damn kiss in there! My dragon tortures me about it, I'm willing to bet along the same level yours tortures you about Levy!" The Lunar Slayer snarled.

Gajeel had looked down, released Cristoffs shirt, his red eyes softened slightly "Not as bad." He said quietly.

Cristoff frowned "What?!"

"My dragon" Gajeel chuckled bitterly "it doesn't torture me as bad as yours would because I've been sleeping with my intended, the sex makes it easier, calms the dragon a little, it riles Levy up, but she's happy so we're ok. You couldn't do that though, you try to have sex with Wendy her dragon souls gonna start the ritual on your ass." He shook his head, laughing now, it was so miserable it was funny to him.

Gods he'd had this kid all wrong, he'd been taking him as an arrogant prick that was a good teacher for the brat. That he was ignoring or unaware of what his dragon wanted, of the clear and obvious connection he had to Wendy that any Dragon Slayer, shit even Natsu could and had noticed.

But Cristoff knew, had been keeping his distance on purpose so he could train Wendy and help her get her second origin open so she could expand her magic and finally make some real progress.

Knowing what he needed to do to achieve that, he'd tortured himself staying away from her because if he were her mate he knew he couldn't let her get hurt, couldn't hurt her.

Shit… hard to hate the kid now…

"Levys with her, Lucy is too, and Cobra knows what's going on usually before any of us do so I'd say leave it for tonight. Go home. Just be a little late to the party so it's busy when you get there tomarrow. I'll walk with you little bro." Bickslow told him.

Gajeel nodded, it was a smart plan. Best one for the circumstances. Cristoff heaved a sigh "Ok…thanks…" He managed, and headed off to go home while Gajeel and Bickslow went back to the guild to see if things had calmed down.

Levy had pulled Wendy aside to she and Gajeels usual table in the corner. The girl was dazed, and when Cana came over she accepted the other womens glares sheepishly.

"Hey, I thought it would be good for her to finally lock lips with the guy! She's had the hots for him for more than a year now!" She defended herself weakly.

"I haven't had the hots for him Cana…he's my mate…or he should be…or at least I feel like he should be…oh Gods…I don't know!" Wendy burst into tears and Lucy hugged her, glancing over at her own mate who was trying to hide behind Elfman.

He narrowed his eyes, defiantly refusing to go anywhere near the cluster of estrogen he saw in the corner of the room, nu uh, over his dead poisonous ass.

Everything was going just fine until Cana started making people kiss each other. Especially Wendy and Cristoff.

Laxus and Emma? Not an issue, those two were halfway into bed together as it was and both of them already knew they wanted that. Laxus was even accepting the tugs from his own instincts pretty well considering the guy found commitment to be about as desirable as having his toe nails pulled out with pliers.

Naw, Cana had stuck a stick in a hornets nest with Cristoff though, that guy was barely keeping his shit together with Wendy and Cobra knew what was happening there and wanted to stay out of it as much as possible because more pressure and involvement from guildmates was the last thing those two needed.

He had nothing but respect for what Cristoff was doing, he wasn't helping the women undo the man and all of his hard work so Wendy could have her mate sooner rather than later.

His mate on the other hand, wanted him over there. He narrowed his eyes, no fucking way.

Lucy growled and Wendy froze in her arms. "Uh…sorry, that wasn't for you, that was because of something else. Look Wendy, It's Christmas, go home, get a good nights sleep, come to the party at Laxus' and try not to overthink things." She almost bit her lip when she said that, looking sheepishly at Levy who also cringed a little, both of them were probably the worlds worst at overthinking the hell out of things.

Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

Christmas saw a happy team at Laxus' house. The lightning slayer took the teasing for he and Emmas hasty departure the night before in stride, seeming to enjoy making Emma alternate between blushing and threatening to poison him.

He was happy though, and so was the little potion master, who dug in and helped with everything in the way of set up for the little feast they had planned leading up to dinner at the guild.

The party started at 10am, and Bickslow and Cristoff arrived at 11, both laden with gifts, Bickslows totems even employed carrying them.

"You're late!" Laxus growled at the two men. Bickslow grinned, "Couldn't be helped boss, we were spreading Christmas cheer to those who needed to feel it." He declared. In truth he had slept in and Cristoff had been busy working his body until it burned training in the guild gym. Nobody else needed to know that though, technically they needed to feel it, and Bickslow had, through extra sleep, which was always a good thing.

Cristoff was careful as he followed Bix in, they dropped off the gifts in the livingroom by the tree and joined everyone else.

It wasn't as painful as Cristoff had been worried it would be. Wendy seemed to be back to doubting she'd felt things right, so it looked like he was going to get away with the whole thing.

At that he relaxed and let himself have fun, until Master Makarov showed up bearing gifts.

Bickslow winked at Cristoff who gave him a nod, Bix had warned him the master sometimes showed up, so the brothers had gone and gotten the master a couple of gifts beyond what they had left at the guild.

The master subtly watched the Lunar Slayer though, and about an hour Evergreen came and told Wendy to join the Master in Laxus' study.

When she walked in she stopped uncertainly in the doorway frowning slightly. Laxus stood leaning against a piano, Gajeel was sitting on a couch. The Master was sitting in a large wing chair, Cobra on another couch across from the one Gajeel sat on and standing by the master was Cristoff.

The Dragon Slayers of the team were all present.

"Good, now I'll make this short so we can all get back to the party and open presents. Wendy, we have been discussing your progress young lady and everyone agrees you have made huge strides over the last year." Makarov said, smiling at her.

Wendy bowed slightly "Thank you master, I've worked very hard, Cristoff has taught me a lot."

"Indeed, and he has a good bit more to teach you, in more than just magic too it would seem." Makarov glanced at the Lunar Slayer who looked down, he'd not met Wendys eyes since he'd come to the party.

"You need motivation dear and I think we have it. I've spoken with Cristoff about this, and your fellow Dragon Slayers. It would seem you and Cristoff have a connection." The master said.

Wendys eyes widened, she'd been struggling with that very thing horribly since last night, had been about to toss the idea aside again figuring if it were true then Cristoff would be affected too and it was clear he wanted nothing to do with her in that way.

"To that end, being a bit of a trainer myself working with Emma and her lightning magic, I found a system of rewards that worked very well for her and me both." Laxus spoke now, smirking.

"The system is simple. Moony here knows he's your mate Wendy, you aren't wrong and you shouldn't spend any more time doubting yourself. However, since he's the only one we know who can open up that second origin of yours and keep you alive through the process since they're a serious pain in the ass for a healer, he's going to be causing you pain and putting you in danger, something he can't do once you two mate." Laxus said, looking at Wendy watching as her expression went from shock, to anger, to something like fear and through a bunch of other emotions he wasn't sure about but when he mentioned her mating with Cristoff his sense of smell knew exactly what she was thinking and he nearly lost his composure.

Nope, no doubt their little Wendy had grown up allright.

"So here's the way it works. You want him, he wants you, every time you thin that barrier, do well in training, make progress, you get hands on time with Cristoff. Not as a teacher or friend…as your boyfriend which is all he's going to be until you open that second origin. There are some limits he'll fill you in on…because I can't fucking talk about that shit with you, but from this point on, you two are together, no more dancing around this, it's not good for either of you. Once you open your second origon, well, you two can decide what to do from there, but in the mean time, you have to earn time with him in that way. If you haven't then he's just your teacher and team mate, clear?" Laxus asked.

Wendy was speechless, "You…knew?" She asked Cristoff. The midnight colored eyes were on her then "Yes, from the moment I met you, I'd have to be a damn fool not to feel it, but I have a responsibility, to you, to the guild. You need to get stronger and you never will going the way you were going." He replied.

"I don't know…I have to think about this…" Her anger over being left thinking she was wrong for so long, that he'd not technically lied to her, just had hidden this from her, and, he'd slept with more women than she could count over the last year knowing he belonged to her?!

"Wendy, come here." Makarov said firmly and she obeyed, she'd never gone against the Master. She was standing right by him, Cristoff just a few feet away now since he stood beside the masters chair.

"Cristoff, give her a hug, she deserves one." Makarov said, smiling knowingly. Cristoff, like Wendy, had a lot of years of obeying the orders of his guild masters. Besides…he wanted to.

Wendy felt his arms close around her, and anger had never been easy for her to hold onto anyway, she felt it rush from her, slid her arms around him and reveled in the feeling of holding him and being held by him. The Lunar Dragon Slayer…the man born to belong to her.

"I accept." Wendy said quietly. Whatever she had to do, even if only to be held like this, she'd do it.

Makarov grinned, he'd had a good feeling once Wendy was in the arms of her mate-to-be that she'd give up being stubborn. Cristoff had caved at the very idea of getting to kiss her, hold her, openly pursue her, instead of having to hide it anymore. Makarov would speak with Erza and the others so they wouldn't ruin this for the young couple.

He himself, was delighted. Two healing Dragon Slayers, each strong in their own right, together…they would be remarkable. He hoped Wendy reached the second origin soon.

"Well then, lets go open presents!" He grinned. Turned she leaned now into Cristoffs side, his arm around her possessively, something that earned him knowing smiles from the other slayers.

Mated himself, knowing he wouldn't trigger anything, Cobra grinned and ruffled Wendys hair "Guess you two got a pretty hefty gift for Christmas huh?" He smirked and followed the others. Cristoff started after them but Wendy tugged at him.

"We can talk about it all later, I promise we will Wendy, we should follow the Master." He pointed out.

"I know but…are you happy with this? With me?" She asked. And there was the biggest thing for her, she was just an inexperienced virgin, had been sheltered. She already knew he could have any women he wanted, he'd HAD any woman he'd wanted.

"I'm a Dragon Slayer just like you Wendy, I've never wanted anything as much as my mate…you. I'll show you how happy I am about it later…within the limits of course. For now though, I have gifts for you." He grinned and she smiled up at him "Gifts plural? I only got you one…" She frowned and he leaned down, kissed her, it took her breath away even though it was brief.

He smiled down at her "See, I've been wanting to be able to do that whenever I felt like it for a really long time now…best gift ever."

She leaned into him, reaching up, relieved when he met her halfway, lips warm on hers, she'd been right…from the beginning. Maybe she'd been a little crazy about it but he'd been the first man to ever catch her interest that way…and now…he was hers.

"No more other women." She said firmly. He smiled "Bickslow was goofing off, I went to bed early and alone last night. No more women…only you." It was a significant promise from someone like him, one he knew he'd keep though.

They rejoined the group, immediately pushed to one of the overstuffed chairs, Cristoff had Wendy unceremoniously dropped into his lap before the two were buried in gifts to open. Most honestly for Wendy. Everyone tore into the presents and the evening erupted into wrapping paper and ribbons, delighted squeals, groans, and laughter.

Makarov was thrilled. It was starting to happen, his children were finding the ones meant for them. Lucy was cuddled against Cobra, who was absolutely thrilled with the large box of poison candies Emma had made to Lucys specifications, not to mention the big bag of all of his favorites from the Candy shop in Hargeon. Lucy had a strawberry lollipop in her mouth and Cobra had an apple, just like the night on the train when he'd eaten the apple seeds and their relationship had gone into overdrive.

Lucy had gotten a new silver key, some lingerie Cana had already showed to everyone and made the woman blush nine shades of red about, and a variety of other things, a book from Levy, another from Freed.

Wendy loved everything, she'd gotten some new sound pods from Laxus, a dress she'd seen but not bought from Lucy who had been with her at the time, sneaky woman, some racy books from Cana, but the gem, when she opened the box and the faintly glowing golden gem sat inside she gaped at Cristoff.

"Holy shit…you found her one…" Bickslow breathed.

"What is it?" Cana asked.

"A Boscan spirit gem…when you crush it, it shows you the animal spirit related to you, your family as a whole." She held up a card from a local tattoo artist "and a session with an artist to have it tattooed onto me!" She hugged Cristoff, beside herself with excitement. He smiled, the happy hug briefly turning into a kiss that had everyone smiling faintly.

"How do you do it, do we need a hammer?" Evergreen asked.

"Tch…no, you crush it with your fist, the gem will yield. Go ahead cupcake, do it on the coffee table so everyone can see." Bickslow prompted.

Wendy placed the gem down, made a fist at Bickslow and Cristoffs direction and slammed it down. Sparkling golden mist swirled up from the ruptured gem and within a moment, a dragon formed, roared, spread its wings and breathed out an attack then vanished.

"Not a shock, but still pretty awesome." Bickslow grinned.

Wendy beamed, she'd get a dragon tattoed onto her somewhere…maybe on her hip like Cristoffs was. She hadn't seen it yet, though she'd seen the wolf on the back of his right shoulder. She leaned back into strong arms, everyone chatting and admiring their various gifts, but Wendy had her eyes on the only thing she'd gotten that mattered to her, the Dragon Slayer smiling at her, he kissed her again, her breath catching. "Merry Christmas Wendy." He whispered.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

A/N the yeses outnumbered the nos, Wendy is gonna grow up. I am sorry if that bothers some, yeah Cristoff as a character is a big guy, I have him written out at 6'2" and muscular. He is a Dragon Slayer after all, one that likes to be involved in battles. I hope folks enjoyed the chapter, not as racy as some, I'm setting things up, our beloved guild is in for a bumpy ride. Keep in mind I do not intend to stick to the storyline in the manga arcs (obviously since the characters are falling in love and such along the way here) so while I appreciate people reminding me this or that happened at this point in the timeline, consider this an AU. Thank you to the folks who let me know what they were thinking, JD, Kura, Teir, Monnbeam, Western, all of you. Special thanks to my co-conspirator, Musicera.


	18. Chapter 18 Hargeon

A/N. Don't get used to this rate of updates LOL, I'm home on a mini staycation so relaxing at my keyboard right now...time to shake things up...enjoy...DESNA

Wendys life changed completely after Christmas. Her training stepped up, the other Dragon Slayers, along with their significant others all pitched in with that. Using Cristoff as a reward turned out to be a good motivator. Both for Wendy and for Cristoff, he pushed her hard, no longer gave her menial things to fill time with because he wanted their time. It was rationed in hours, and Charle or one of the other slayers chaperoned to make sure the city of Magnolia wasn't accidentally subjected to a double S-class Dragon Slayer taking on his intended and trying to fight her for the right to mate with her.

The destruction that could cause made Makarov shudder and motivated him to be sure the couple was well monitored.

The idea that Cristoff had slept with more women than she could count knowing she was likely his mate hadn't left Wendys mind, she thought about it, decided not to lose out on his attention and affections right then, his time would come...she wouldn't forget. She was just enjoying having him far too much to let that ruin things for her.

It was maybe awkward at times, but evenings at Cristoffs house with Lucy and Cobra or Gajeel and Levy, watching movies, where she was allowed to curl up with him on the couch, became something she yearned for almost as much as his heated kisses and hugs on the training field.

She had a boyfriend, a mate-to-be. Cana said it was like the pair were engaged.

Two weeks after Christmas Wendy had Lucy and Levy go with her to the tattoo artist. She'd gotten some information from Cristoffs father, who Bickslow had arranged a conversation with via Lacrima.

Arman was thrilled his son had someone at last and had welcomed her to their family and, delightfully, told her all she wanted to know about her Dragon.

That information in hand, she went over the details with the artist and the woman went to work. Levy and Lucy watched while the woman wove a series of spells through a sort of light pen, bringing an image alive in Wendys skin from just above her hip, over it and down to the outside top of her thigh.

Lucy leaned over, smiling when it was done, Levy shook her head in wonder.

"I want one…" Lucy breathed

"So do I…" Levy agreed.

Wendy had to earn the right to show Cristoff her tattoo because of where she'd placed it, nearly an hour sparring against Cristoff and Gajeel got that for her though, and while the men waited with Levy even Gajeel couldn't get out of the script mage what it was Wendy needed to show Cristoff on her body that involved her being in a bikini.

Once Wendy came out of the guild locker room though it was immediately clear why.

Cristoff actually paled a little, eyes widening, lips parting.

Wendy wore a tiny, barely even there dark blue string bikini and Gajeel knew by that alone why the young woman had needed to seek out special permission and had felt she had to work to do this.

She didn't look even slightly like the little girl she'd been, and her curves were shown off along with way too much skin in that bikini.

"Yeah you're never fucking wearing that at the pool." Gajeel growled. Wendy wasn't looking at him, her eyes were on her own Dragon, and his were moving over her, locking on the tattoo.

When she came up to him he smiled and Gajeel whistled "That's some impressive work…" Gajeel admitted.

The dragon was elegant, but lethal looking, its head near Wendys belly button then long neck curving down to a powerful body and partially spread wings.

It was snarling, long teeth showing, talons raised. It was the coloring that gave away Wendys intent.

"It's…Nurem…me" Cristoff breathed, running his fingers over it.

The dragons scales were a deep dark blue, two rows of spines running down from its head to its tail were silver, like its claws and the curving horns coming out of its head, it's eyes glowed silver.

"How did you…?" He started, Wendy smiled "Your father told me, he said he spent many hours talking with Nurem while you were learning from her, he described her in detail, and I've seen your scales and talons come out, seen your eyes change…" Wendy smiled.

Gajeel looked again at the tattoo with renewed interest. It all made sense now, Wendy had gotten more than a spirit animal tattoo, she'd basically gotten the image of Cristoffs dragon put on her, what Cristoff himself would look like were he a true dragon.

Gajeel had to admit, it was a hell of a gesture. No wonder they needed chaperones for this, between the bikini and Cristoff getting to see himself tattood on Wendys body…yeah, it was a wonder the man hadn't torn into his intended to start the process.

"I want one…" Levy whispered in his ear. He felt a shiver run through him and he closed his eyes for a moment to collect his instantly shattered thoughts.

Turning he met her eyes, Levy was smiling, hazel eyes glittering with wickedness. "I've even seen Metalicana…I figure you'd look a lot like him…just sexier." She whispered. Gajeel drew a breath, narrowing his eyes to warn her…this wasn't fair.

Wendy and Cristoff knew though, and after Cristoff placed a kiss on the tattoo, sending shivers through Wendy, she hurried off to put her clothes back on and Cristoff stood, handing Gajeel a card before leaving the couple sitting in the gym. "The artist who did Wendys…" He told Gajeel "Not cheap, I'm sure I'll even get a bill since she had metallic color put in there but oh so fucking worth it." He chuckled.

Gajeel didn't take his eyes off Levy, snatching the card from Cristoff "How much?" He demanded.

"Metallic? Probably 100K, I'm betting Wendys will come to near that when I get the bill but as you saw…holy hell that's going to be driving me insane…" Cristoff growled, leaving the gym and heading up into the guild to get himself something stiff to drink.

"You want a tattoo like that huh?" Gajeel smiled as Levy stepped forward. He was sitting on a weight bench, his head about even with her ribs. He grabbed her hips, rubbing his thumbs over both and Levy nodded.

"Lucy already made an appointment to have one done, she's going to surprise Cobra…but I want you to be there, watch the artist put mine in…" Levy said in a husky purr.

Gajeel bolted to his feet and Levy squealed as she was thrown over his shoulder "Lets go make you an appointment" He grinned.

Xoxoxoxooxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Wendy was laying in Cristoffs arms, Lucy cuddled with Cobra not far away on the other lounge, they were mostly engrossed in the movie they were watching in the livingroom of Cristoffs house. These movie nights were something Wendy had to earn and she now worked very hard to make sure she never had to miss one.

Charle lay comfortable on a soft warming pillow Cristoff had gotten her for Christmas, it even had a massage setting Charle was very fond of after a busy day.

Both couples were relaxed, they'd decimated three bottles of wine and three large pizzas, three Dragon Slayers being involved that was pretty modest as meals went.

When both Cristoff and Cobra lacrimas went off though all four wizards looked wide eyed at each other as the men snatched up their coms.

"Get to the guild, pack for an undetermined amount of time, Hidden Hope. Move quickly, there isn't much time." Laxus told them the coms going dark.

Cristoff set Wendy on her feet. "Charle get Wendy to Fairy Hills to pack, hurry, I'll see you at the guild." He snapped. Charle had long since stopped questioning him when he'd barked orders at him, the man was more stubborn than she was. "Yes, come on Wendy." The Exceed replied.

Less than 20 minutes later everyone was filing into the meeting room. Wendy pushed in, glancing around until she found Cristoff who stood by Gajeel and…Natsu.

"Ok, so we have all of the Dragon Slayers in and there's a reason for that…this was just set loose on Hargeon…" Laxus flipped on the large flatscreen behind him and everyone gasped.

"The feed is coming from a reporter there…this thing came off a boat that rammed into the harbor about 30 minutes ago…" Laxus said.

On the screen a massive creature was moving among the buildings, it was on four legs…taller than any of the buildings by a good bit…it was massive. But even that wasn't as horrifying as the fact that it was missing hunks of its body, most of its neck was just shreds of…meat hanging on bone, its head was skeletal, and it had very long, very sharp teeth. It was killing people….moving down a street, smashing its snout into a building and coming back with two people impaled on its teeth writhing and screaming.

"It's a…re-animated dragon…" Cristoff breathed.

"Not just any fucking re-animated dragon, look hard…those of us who fought at the Eclipse gate…" Laxus grit his teeth.

"Motherglare…" Natsu breathed…he had fought future Rogue on the back of that Dragon…but it had been alive then…

"Lamia Scale is already on its way, Fairy Tail is going too, as before Motherglare is dropping fucking replicants, so be aware of that. Stay in teams. Wendy you stay fucking attached to Cristoff you got me? You two…you're going to be busy as hell but all of us Slayers including you two need to focus on Motherglare. Now MOVE, get to the train station, the line is running a special train for us down close to Hargeon but they wont carry us into the city for obvious reasons, we're to evacuate people toward the train once we're off of it and it will get people clear. GO!"

They all hurried, Wendy walked swiftly alongside Cristoff, Gajeel and Levy just ahead of them, Natsu walking with Lucy and Cobra just behind. When they got onto the train, Lucy had Virgo take everyones bags after Cristoff insisted Wendy pull out and go change into the leather armor set he'd gotten for her for Christmas.

A re-animated dragon was about as much dark magic as you could get, she'd need that armor.

"Wish we all had sets like that…" Laxus sighed.

"If you have leather, I can enchant it, I did Wendys set and my own, hell, my older brother still sends sets to me for members of White Sea to enchant and you have two mages here, one rune one script who could probably handle the work there. You just have to use leather because only something that has held life can repel dark magic." Cristoff told him.

Laxus looked around, "we should have thought of this sooner…" He growled. The train was already in motion.

"Laxus? Virgo is offering…" Lucy said.

Laxus turned to see Lucy standing by Wendy, she'd been admiring the girls dark green armor set when Virgo had come out, knowing what was happening and seeing a chance to help her Princess stay safer in the upcoming conflict.

While the set really was butter soft leather, it was the enchantments and rune work that made it real armor. The maid knew she could do better than the Earthland leather.

"Whatever she can do…any additional edge in this will help." He said.

30 minutes later Virgo returned with Loke, both with armloads of leather.

Virgo didn't have the time to make a set like Wendys for everyone so she'd opted for leather capes, they could be wrapped around the mage and held up for shielding so she figured it was a good alternative.

Once placed on the floor Cristoff moved to lay down the light enchantments that would fill the leather with holy light magic then Freed and Levy went to work putting in every runic ward they thought would help onto each piece.

By the time the train was slowing to let them all out, everyone had one of the capes.

"Shit." Laxus said, they were up in the low foothills above Hargeon, looking down the sky was lit up and not in a good way, smoke curled up in multiple thick black plumes and even from this distance nearly a mile away the screams and alarms of the city were easy to hear.

A roar shook the ground and everyone gasped. No mistaking that…

"Ok, stay in your teams people, those of you assigned to evacuate folks you know where to send em, the rest of you, lets get to where we can fucking see this damn thing!" Laxus called.

They didn't have to work hard to get a view of the dragon. It dwarfed the buildings of Hargeon, which were significantly smaller than those in Crocus and it had dwarfed a lot of those when they had fought the thing the first time.

"We're going to hang back, remain behind the others, you have support magic, so do I, our job will be to support the other slayers, use attacks that don't have a high cost and keep our friends on their feet, got it? Do NOT leave my side, I don't care what happens Wendy, do not leave me you understand? There are replicants, and I can feel dark magic all over the place down there, illusion magic could be at play, so stay with me no matter what you see or hear." Cristoff was right there, speaking into her ear as everyone started moving. Wendy nodded.

This, she knew, was Cristoffs element, while she herself had been through battles similar to this one before, had been there during the Eclipse Gate, she also knew it was crucial she and Cristoff stay close to each other, their magic worked too well combined.

Looking up she saw the half moon in the sky, felt the breeze, both of them had strength above the others being fed to them in these conditions. They had practiced for this, trained for it, she had to stay calm, focused, and listen to and follow Cristoffs lead.

"Charle go help with the evacuation with Lilly and Happy, you can pull children out, injured who can't walk, GO!" Wendy told her friend sternly. Charle blinked at her, then nodded, looking at Cristoff "You protect her…" She said harshly. Cristoff smiled at her "With my life." He replied.

The exceed flew away quickly to catch up with Lily and Happy and Fairy Tail hurried down the hill into the city.

Xoxoxoxoxooxoxoxoxoxoxooxoxox

The smell of blood, the stench of fear and death was chokingly thick. There was no missing where Motherglare was. As with the Eclipse gate, Fairy Tail was coordinating as best they could with Lamia Scale and the Rune Knights that were stationed at the city.

As the Dragon Slayers group prepared to head toward Motherglare Lucy caught Cobra, holding his face in her hands she kissed him, then pulled back and narrowed her eyes at him "You kill that thing, so dead nothing can bring it back again and you come back to me, you die, I die." She said fiercely. He smirked, kissing her back "I'm gonna do so many dirty things to you when we get home…" He promised, she grinned "All the more reason to come through this in one piece mister. I love you."

He kissed her, pulling her into his arms "and you still wanna fuck me." He whispered in her ear, she laughed.

Levy was doing much the same with Gajeel, but she was hurting almost more than Lucy. They weren't mated, he'd still not told her why he was waiting and she hadn't brought it up and now…it was too late for that.

"Come home to me. Promise you will, come back to my side." She whispered. Gajeel had lifted her up for a tight smothering hug and breath-taking kiss.

"I'll be fine shrimp, I'll see you once this big lizard is back in its grave." He said.

"Promise me Gajeel.." Levy insisted, knowing what his promises meant to him.

"I promise Levy." He replied softly, she kissed him once more and he set her down, turning and following the others, his long black hair blowing to the side as a roar tore down a street a few blocks over, shaking the ground under their feet.

Levy watched him for a moment longer, memorizing him, then hurried after Lucy, trying to choke back tears she didn't need right now.

The Slayers moved in, finding Motherglare still near the harbor. The beasts roar was allowing it to reach far and wide, and they encountered their first group of its replicants. About two dozen of them.

Natsu glared, his fire attacks didn't work as well as he wanted on the boney skeletal things, but he found it did make them more brittle, a fact Gajeel displayed when he swept an iron club through the ones Natsu had just set ablaze, the bone shattered.

Laxus' lightning worked much the same, the ones who did the most damage were Cobra, Wendy and Cristoff.

Cobra was using a dissolving toxin in his attacks and it had no problems dissolving the bone of the replicants, Wendys wind sheared the hunks of flesh and snapped some of the bone, Cristoffs Moonlight, infused with the immaculate light he possessed as a knight, burned the beasts in a painful way that they shrunk back shrieking from.

6 dragon slayers made short work of the replicants once they figured out the weaknesses. Natsu ramped his heat up so his flame attacks turned bone to ash, Laxus moved up into white lightning, the top end of the spectrum he used, and could make the moisture inside the beasts vaporize causing them to explode.

It was actually a helpful encounter, though it slowed them a bit, as they mowed their way through replicants, they perfected how to destroy bone, it would help them fight Motherglare itself.

Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

High above Hargeon, Naryev leaned over the edge of the hovering Lacrima powered airship they were watching from.

Dain was grinning, laying on his stomach looking down as well.

"I told you we could put that frame to use, it's a pity so much was harvested before I got the idea." Dain said.

Naryev laughed, "Well, we won't make the mistake again, Dragon bioproducts are valuable but this?" He waved a hand over the scene below them. "This is priceless."

"A few of these along with the enhanced soldiers…you know, we really should collect one of those Pergrandian things…what are those things their king is so fucking proud of…the ban-beast hybrid things…" Naryev sighed, snapping his fingers trying to remember.

"Berzerkers?" Dain supplied. Naryev smiled at him "Yes, those, we should collect one, I'd love to see what one of those could do with real magic at its disposal." He chuckled.

"Well the data from the Succubi experiment showed just an enhancement lacrima can seriously bolster existing abilities." Dain said, waving to one of the Rune Knights standing by. "Bring me some binoculars, there must be mages showing up to fight our pet by now, I'm in the mood to do some shopping."

Naryev grinned "Me as well please." He added, the knight nodded, disappearing inside the ships cabin and returning handing binoculars to the men.

"We should see some of the local guilds best, Lamia Scale I believe and likely Fairy Tail." Naryev said.

"Dragon Slayers…Fairy Tail has what…five of them?" Dain asked.

Naryev nodded "Yes but they are dual souled, remember I killed that one from Minstrel last year and his dragon soul damn near got me before I could pull out? So unfortunately, don't get interested in them. We're just looking for tasty additions to the collection we can turn into lacrima." He said.

"Poo, yes I remember that, pity, there's a group of them making their way to Motherglare, this should be really interesting. Looks like we have fire…lightning…hard to see one of them, he's using some sort of physical…ohhhh, Lunar…damn it, I really want a Lunar magic user! Some sort of celestial. Definitely a dragon slayer though damn." Dain cursed.

The two both settled in, smiling faintly then Naryev drew a breath. "Wait…a healer…see the woman with the pink hair, she's with some of the mages from Lamia scale?" He pointed, directing Dains binoculars until they were both looking in the same direction.

"Oh…oh we need her…" Dain moaned.

Naryev smirked, glancing to the knight standing nearby "Take us over the trade district, we have one chosen for harvest." He grinned.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Wendy almost stepped from Cristoffs side at a couple of points, the screams and such where the dragon was blasting the city with its roar made her want to head that way badly, but she knew better.

It had been drilled into her now that the threat had to be taken out before she could start forming plans to heal the wounded. Taking time to heal during a battle, using magic on that, could leave a threat up to hurt more people, and this undead dragon was hurting a lot of people.

They reached it and she was glad she hadn't stepped away, glad she'd listened, because she could see clearly this fight wasn't going to be easy.

"Gathering Moon and Stars rain thy Celestial Power on my allies." Cristoff whispered and glimmering silver circles of magic swirled under each of them, including Wendy, the power that flowed up into her made her ears ring and her heart race.

"Holy shit Cristoff… I almost came." Cobra growled drawing a few steadying breaths at the rush of strength and power that flowed through him.

"Good for an hour, and I won't tell Lucy." Cristoff smirked. He glanced at Wendy, who nodded, laying on her enhancements as well.

"Ok…feeling good." Laxus snickered, closing his eyes and adjusting to the rushes of power from the enhancements.

"Mine aren't good as long so get moving." Wendy snapped.

"I'm all Fired up." Natsu grinned

As one they rushed forward.

Laxus and Natsu hit at once on the beasts left side, it was pre-occupied, trying to rip some people out of the fifth story of a building they were trying to hide in but when Laxus and Natsu hit it the dragon stumbled to the right crashing into other buildings.

White light bathed the area, a large magic circle swirling above and the creature screeched, smoke wafting in small tendrils from places all over its body, suddenly black tendrils of magic could be seen, shadows, things that were holding the thing together, giving it life, they recoiled, retreated from the light.

"God it stinks…" Gajeel sneered, lunging forward to crush several of the ribs and snap off a wing Natsu and Laxus had made brittle with their attacks.

The wind blew through, carrying with it purifying magic that had the black threads of magic that hovered all over the creature retreating again deeper and the beasts tail suddenly drug on the ground since there wasn't enough flesh there for the black stuff to hide in.

It swung a huge taloned leg at Natsu, who dodged it but then got caught by his vest by its teeth. It ripped the slayer upwards and flung him hard.

"Natsu!" Wendy screamed in horror as the Fire Slayer flew through the wall of a building, the sound of his path through the building and out the other side twisting Wendys heart in her chest.

She started to move forward, to run to Natsu but Cristoff grabbed her, caught her arm even as he was moving his other hand and whispering a new spell he shook his head at her firmly.

She held her ground, sending in a wing attack, praying Natsu was ok.

The dragon focused on Laxus then, since he was now hitting it hard and the lightning slayer flashed to the side to dodge a roar that came terribly fast.

"Fucking thing doesn't have to inhale for a roar!" He snarled.

"Probably doesn't have lungs!" Gajeel returned, he'd slid under it, trying to tear through its underbelly, which had worked, but hadn't produced the results he'd wanted.

"Shit!" He cursed as eggs spilled out, hatching within moments.

"Fuck, I'll keep Mom busy, you guys handle those!" Laxus shouted.

"Gajeel, get over here, we'll combine a wing attack!" Wendy called, they had done combined attacks before, even combined roars, and this was a good time while the replicants were still in a sort of cluster beneath Motherglare.

The Iron Dragon rushed past the still hardening replicants, skidding to a halt between Cristoff and Wendy, all three sent in their wings attacks.

It was with a mixture of relief and shock Wendy saw a Fire Dragon wing attack join theirs, relief because it meant Natsu had rejoined them and was still able to fight, shock because he'd fired his attack from the other side of Motherglare…directly at Wendy, Cristoff and Gajeel.

The three slayers dove out of the way of the pieces of the attack that weren't caught on replicants.

Looking up from the dirty street, Wendy blinked, seeing it had worked, there was nothing left of the replicants caught in the crossfire, and a chunk of Motherglares underside was missing now.

"Salamander! Next time don't shoot an attack at something when there are fucking people on the other side you idiot!" Gajeel snarled, moving to take a hammer to Motherglares tail, it had started swinging the moment the light spell above had timed out.

The beast kept moving forward, driving Laxus back, "I knew you guys wouldn't stand there and let it hit ya!" Natsu grinned, sending a stream of fire into the base of the other wing.

Gajeel rolled his eyes and joined Natsu in snapping off the other wing.

"We're gonna be here all fucking night if we gotta stop this thing piece by piece!" Cobra yelled, melting off some more of the flesh with a wing attack.

They had taken off the wings, but it hadn't been using them anyway since they were just bones, otherwise, aside from some of the rotting flesh getting torn away, they hadn't done a lot of damage so far.

He could remember fighting the dragons at the Eclipse Gate, it had been made clear then how much work Dragon Slaying actually involved.

"Legs!" Cristoff called and Gajeel smirked, jumping from the beasts back, falling in by Cobra who had already sent a set of poison blades flying as Natsu was trying to turn the things head to ash, Laxus heard it and focused lightning started cracking into the elbow of the left front leg. Cristoff drew a breath "Shooting star." A mass of light fire and heat so intense Wendy had to turn away formed on front of him and shot to hit that elbow exploding on contact, Gajeel finished it and the elbow shattered, the beast lurching.

Head and Tail both whipped toward them and Cristoff yanked Wendy to his side looking at both things swinging toward them, the wall of a building behind them, there was nowhere to go. "Lunar…shift." She heard and then she screamed but it was cut off, a moment later her scream finished and Laxus almost jumped out of his skin jerking to look at where Cristoff and Wendy had just appeared behind him.

"Lets get that other leg." Laxus smirked, he hadn't known Cristoff had a spell like that, he'd remember it though.

Cristoff nodded, stepping a little to the side and raising a hand again as Laxus bombarded the beasts right elbow with lightning. Natsu saw what they were doing and joined in and Cobra sent poison blades into the spot as well as Cristoffs spell formed up.

"Shooting Star." He breathed, narrowing his eyes on his target point. The energy shot forward, exploded on impact and Gajeel finished it with an iron hammer, the beasts other front leg gone it collapsed to the ground.

Trouble was…they were standing in front of it at ground level, it's glowing sockets that used to hold eyes fixed on the trio of wizards.

Laxus grabbed both Cristoff and Wendy and as the roar rushed toward them Laxus' lightning crackled around them, in a second they were on the roof of a nearby building, but the roar had clipped them.

All three sank down, burns across their legs, Wendy shrieked as the pain flooded her and she heard both Laxus and Cristoff cry out. Cristoff reached out and grabbed her hand "Focus Wendy! Push your healing air into the light I make, heal all three of us before we pass out…" He hissed through clenched teeth.

Wendy had black spots closing in all over her vision, but she focused, drawing magic randomly, pulling it without thought and she heard Cristoff gasp, felt light wash over them from his area spell and she pushed healing air into that light and felt it when it started to work.

The pain in her legs lessened and lessened and she pulled more power from where she didn't know until the pain was pretty well gone.

Then she heard Cristoff gasping for air and sat up a little on her elbows, seeing Laxus sitting up gaping at her.

Her hand was still tightly wrapped around Cristoffs and she looked down, where there should have been bone deep burns there was only pale skin, turning she looked at Cristoff, he was still panting, smiling and choking out a weak laugh.

"Remind me to be more…specific about where you should pull your power from…shit…" He panted.

Laxus closed his mouth, he had felt his legs healing, knew that roar had burned right to the bone in places, and when he'd looked he'd seen Cristoff grab Wendys hand, seen how bad he looked, Wendy too, bone showing where the roar had burned the flesh away on her calf.

Cristoffs hissed out order he'd heard, though his brain was so consumed with pain he'd been unable to process it until now.

Then he'd watched as Cristoffs magic circle formed above them, the light washed over them and the pain had eased and then he'd seen something impossible, Wendys greenish healing magic he'd seen countless times had merged with the magic circle swirling over them and flowed through the light of Cristofs spell, merging with it, he saw Cristoff stiffen, felt magic energy shift from the Lunar Slayer to Wendy, could almost SEE her pulling it out of the man, when she did the green strengthened in the light and his pain bled away, looking down he watched his legs heal in absolute wonder.

Cristoff sat up as Gajeel and Natsu reached them. Gajeel helped Wendy to her feet while Laxus and Cristoff climbed to theirs.

"The fuck did I just see…?" Laxus asked Cristoff. The Lunar slayer shook his head "I'm not sure…all I can say is it's unheard of, but it works." Cristoff breathed out a sigh then turned, looking out over the dragon…Natsu, Cobra and Gajeel had relieved it of its head and it was bleeding that black vaporous dark magic now laying still.

Cristoff slid a hand out, another massive magic circle opening and washing light over the body that instantly started writhing, black magic vaporizing in the light.

Turning from that he left the wheel spinning, it would time out in a few minutes, he wanted to purge all of the dark magic from that thing he could.

"There are probably a lot of injured people, and we need to see how the others are doing, now that Motherglare is down the replicants should all drop." Laxus said.

They headed for the edge of the building, opting for the fastest route down to the street where Cobra was waiting before hurrying toward the interior of the city.

They'd been expecting chaos and that's what they found. The replicants had all fallen when Motherglare had but people were terrorized there were hundred upon hundreds dead and more than that injured. More than half of Hargeon was in flames and Natsu went with two water mages from Lamia Scale, Gray and Juvia to go deal with that while Laxus went to find anyone in authority.

Cobra and Gajeel were both scanning their sharp eyes through the crowds of people all heading up toward where the train was. Gajeel looking for blue, Cobra looking for gold.

"There they are!" Wendy spotted Levy, and not far from her was Lucy and Virgo standing by cluster of dead replicants and waving people toward the hill where the train was.

Gajeel and Cobra both ran up the hill and Cristoff pulled Wendy to a stop, making her look at him.

"We need to go up to the trains, the city will mobilize crews to look for injured but they'll need a place to take them, the train line will be the best place, we can get them to detach some cars to use…the hospital…the medical area…are gone…" He said, pointing and Wendy covered her mouth with her hand, a wrenching sob hitting her at the sight.

Repeated roars…the thing had decimated the downtown area, the park, the medical center, hospital..city hall…all wiped away, completely gone…all the people that were in those places…

Cristoffs arms closed around her, his hand rubbing her back for a few moments before his lips were by her ear.

"Wendy, I love that you feel so much for people, I love that your compassion runs so deep in you, but there is no time to mourn right now…there are people suffering, who need us, they're bringing wounded up the hill away from the city to get away from the smoke and chaos, we need to help…" He whispered, she nodded against his chest.

A moment later she pushed from his arms and let him lead her up the hill with the steady stream of people, smiling faintly seeing Levy, now with a stern looking Iron Dragon standing behind her, and Lucy, with Cobra at her side.

Through the night and well into the next day they worked, Wendy perfected an area effect soothing wind spell though she had to draw power from Cristoff in order to cast it and he only let her do it once.

She ran dangerously low at one point and he forced her to stop, dragging her over to Lucy and Cobra where they were helping to organize supplies brought in by the never ending movement of trains that were running back and forth between the nearby village of Halla, which was only 30 minutes down the line from Hargeon toward Magnolia and had a medical center, albeit a small one.

The trains going back and forth to Akane where an actual hospital was by the resorts were restricted to the wounded while mobile or lightly wounded were sent toward Halla. The city was under strict quarantine, closed off, being fully evacuated until authorities sorted out what had happened, what exactly had animated Motherglare and made sure there were no other threats.

Halla, Magnolia, Onibus, Kurugi, and of course Crocus all stood ready to take in the people of Hargeon in the mean time and medical supplies and professionals were coming in with every train.

Cristoff placed Wendy in a folding chair beside Lucy "Do NOT let her use any more magic, she's spent, and having a double draw on mine won't help. If she tries to heal so much as a papercut, Cobra, put her to fucking sleep, magic depletion sickness isn't something I want to deal with." He said firmly.

Wendy glared at him and glared right back at her "You fucking KNOW better." He snapped before turning to go back to where the wounded were gathered.

Lucy bit her lower lip, handing Wendy a clip board and pointing at piles of boxes. Angrily the young woman stood and started tearing open boxes and setting supplies into groups, bandages, casting materials, antibacterials.

Cobra snorted, the young woman was NOT having nice thoughts about her teacher at the moment.

Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Cobra heaved a sigh, pulling Lucys sleeping form closer into his side as the train pulled away from Hargeon. Five days they had barely slept or eaten, seeing the people out of Hargeon then going in and helping the authorities look for survivors among the wreckage. It had been horrific work, nobody knew when the people would be allowed to come back home that had been forced to evacuate, when Motherglare started to break down toxins that had even made Cobra wrinkle his nose had seeped into the ground, ruining the cities water supply and a lot of its pipelines for sewage too.

There would need to be a lot of work done before the city could support people again.

Nobody had answers either, the ship that had crashed into the harbor bearing the dragon had been unmarked and not a soul aboard it. Nobody knew where it had come from, or how it was animated beyond the obvious dark magic.

It would take weeks to sort out who was missing, who had died, identify the dead that had been found and all the rest.

All they knew was the attack had been sudden, without any warning of any kind, and it had been a catastrophe on the same scale as the Eclipse Gate had been for Crocus.

Cobra wanted to get home, wanted to curl up around Lucy and lose himself in her for a little bit, the horrors of what they had just been through, five different times he'd been overwhelmed by the anguished souls screaming, blood had run from his nose and ears and Bickslow of all people had been able to help him, had helped him get a barrier up to protect himself when the fifth time had nearly made him black out.

Cristoff had been able to ease the headache, heal the places that had hemorrhaged in his head, and then he'd been allright, more steady than usual even, able to only hear Lucy, and that had been fine…a comfort even though she was stressed the fuck out, scared, angry and about every other thing because women seemed able to just have freaking tsunamis of emotions at times, or at least Lucy sure was good at it.

When the train pulled in he didn't wake Lucy, seeing Cristoff doing the same with Wendy, Gajeel doing the same with Levy, carrying their women home. All three almost falling down from exhaustion themselves but unwilling to wake their peaceful women.

Lily rested sleepily on Gajeels shoulder and he nodded at Cobra and Laxus before heading home. As eager as the others to get to his own bed.

Laxus lacked the energy to walk, pulling Emma who was walking bleary eyed beside him into his arms and teleporting himself and her to his house, she could sleep there and go to her own home tomorrow if she wanted to.

Cristoff managed a thin smile for his brother and Bickslow hugged him and the sleeping Wendy "I'll see you tomorrow afternoon ok?" Bix asked. Cristoff nodded, Charle was even curled up on Wendys stomach asleep.

When he reached his house he laid Wendy down on his bed, he wasn't going to worry about trudging up fucking stairs right now, Charle could stick that somewhere painful if she woke up with an issue.

Pulling off Wendys shoes he pulled the covers over her and Laid Charle on her little pillow she liked so much, turning on the little heater in it and smiling faintly when the cat was purring a minute later.

He shed his own clothes down to his boxer briefs, climbed into the bed beside Wendy and was asleep before his head was fully in the pillow.


	19. Chapter 19 Recovery and Origins

Wendy woke with a start, looking up at a ceiling fan…but she didn't have a ceiling fan…

Sitting up slightly she looked around the room in confusion then spotted Charle on her pillow on top of a dresser, the dresser was not hers.

Then her ears finally brought soft breathing to her other than Charles and she jerked her head around. Eyes widening, she managed not to let out a squeak of shock.

Cristoff lay beside her sound asleep on his stomach, face turned toward her, one arm under the pillow, the other at his side she assumed on the other side of his body from her.

When she'd sat up the blankets had shifted down and she had a view of his back partly covered by his thick black hair. She reached down gingerly, pushing the soft locks aside so she could see the wolf on the back of his right shoulder, it was baring its fangs, green eyes looking almost alive the tattoo was so well done.

Her fingers drifted across his broad shoulders shyly, there wasn't a soft spot on him, he was hardened muscle everywhere she touched. Her eyes glided over every bit of him that was left exposed, right down to the waist of his boxer briefs, that were black. She smiled faintly, seeing his clan tattoo curving from where it ran down the front of his body up to his side and down his right flank, disappearing under his clothing.

Feeling bold, thinking to herself he was hers after all and she had every right to be touching his body she slid her hand over his backside, remembering all the women who said that was one of their favorite things on a man.

"It should be round, hard enough to bounce a coin off of it, and feel good under my fingers." Cana had said once.

Cristoff wasn't one to hide under layers of clothes like Bickslow or Cobra, didn't wear a long tunic like Gajeel, no coat like Laxus or baggy pants like Natsu. No he leaned toward jeans, snug black pants and that tight custom made black leather set of armor…which would have to be remade, the pants at least, since the legs had the fronts burned away.

So the women had been able to enjoy looking at him, the shape of him at least, and Cana had stolen a "feel" once so she could grade him, she'd insisted it was important for the sake of her over all rating system she lay her hands on the merchandise.

Levy had slapped her away from Gajeel once recently, earning a pout from the brunette. Cristoff was ranked between Laxus and Bickslow, Laxus having the finest ass in the guild according to Cana, among the men anyway.

The women including Levy had waved their arms at her when she'd offered to rank all of them too.

Wendy smiled faintly as her hand slid over him, she was betting she could bounce a coin…

"Shoulders next…mmm, no, get my legs." A deep voice made her jump and she owled at Cristoff who was looking at her lazily, a smirk tilting his lips.

"No rub down huh? Maybe another time then." He chuckled.

Wendy blushed and frowned at him.

"What am I doing in your bed?" She demanded.

He didn't move, just yawned before looking at her again. "I was too tired last night to carry you all the way back to Fairy Hills, so I brought you and Charle here because my house is closer to the train station than yours. I took your shoes off, take note you are still fully clothed." He replied.

Wendy nodded, she'd noticed. She also saw her bag by the bedroom door.

"Can I use your shower?" She asked, He smiled "You can use anything related to me." He replied, yawning again and smiling wickedly.

Wendy suppressed a snicker. She slid from the bed and took her bag into the bathroom.

She had been to Laxus' house, and also to Bickslows a few times. The Raijinshuu, and just S-class wizards in general pulled down hefty rewards for the high risk jobs they took. Cristoff, being S-class for the last 6 years was no different. She loved his house. It was similar to Bickslows in that it was near the Market district (just one block from it) a row house but unlike Bickslows Cristoffs was one that had been rebuilt after Tartaros so it was completely modern.

As she stepped into the large shower with its beautiful glass tile walls done in white gray and a pale green it dawned on her. This house…would be her house too when she and Cristoff became mates.

It was a little overwhelming, all of that. For a long while she'd been so anxious to just jump into bed, into adulthood in general with the Lunar Slayer but since Christmas, when he'd admitted he knew, when she'd found out why he'd kept his distance and not admitted it for more than a year, she'd been just, confused.

She alternated between feeling overjoyed all the way to furious and miserable because of all of the time she felt he had wasted. Then she'd feel guilty because she knew he was right, that as her mate he couldn't stay at a distance, couldn't push her, be hard on her, let her walk into danger and get hurt, or break open her second origin when doing so put her at risk.

Then there was the other women. She knew well from being around Bickslow how easy going and open Boscans were about sex. Bickslow never dated, just seemed to meet women, hit it off with them, go to their home or his, have sex with them and then it was like it had never happened.

He and the women went their separate ways. Bickslow has told her once it was a way to have fun, relax, release tension and she'd find out herself one day but Wendy couldn't imagine it.

Bickslow always seemed just a little lonely, though everyone in the guild loved him and he had multitudes of friends, she'd seen him watch Alzack and Bisca, and more recently Cobra and Lucy and even his visor couldn't hid the wistful expression he would get.

Cristoff though, he didn't get those looks, Wendy had never seen him get regret in his eyes when he saw Gajeel and Levy cuddling at the guild. The man was calmer than his brother, though no less prone to joking around. She knew he usually did not honestly go looking for women, they found him, approached him completely uninvited, she'd seen it time and again. He just rarely turned them away.

Rinsing shampoo from her hair she struggled to keep her thoughts on her own issues but the events of the last few days finally overwhelmed her efforts.

Hargeon. Devastated. Countless people dead, countless more homeless, injured, missing and here she was worrying about her boyfriends behavior before he was her boyfriend.

She was still so tired. She knew they were all supposed to be at the guild at 2pm for a meeting with Master Makarov, the entire guild had been summoned for it, not just the Hidden Hope team.

Glancing at the large clock on the wall by the door Wendy sighed, turning off the water and stepping out of the shower, wrapping herself in one of the plush gray towels.

She pulled out some clean clothes, a black pleated skirt that came to mid-thigh on her, black thigh high stockings and a green sweater. Once she had her hair combed through she tossed the towel into a hamper by the door and carried her bag back out of the bathroom into the bedroom.

The bed was empty and a look up found Charle wasn't on her pillow anymore.

She heard voices then, and it sounded like they were coming from the kitchen where she knew there was a comfortable table and chairs Charle and Cristoff were probably at.

The idea of Charle talking with Cristoff though almost alarmed her and she was heading into the hallway to go and save them from each other when she heard Charle "But why would you sleep with women knowing you were to be Wendy Mate, you know that's despicable." The Exceed said harshly.

"Not where I come from Charle, it may be here in Fiore but in Bosco until you have promised yourself to each other, there is no "saving yourself" done. That whole idea is foreign to me, the concept that a womans virginity is somehow sacred and indicated purity, it's a damn barrier the body puts in place so when a human female is born backflow of blood and fluids into her reproductive tract doesn't endanger her. Nature did not put it there to tell men whether or not she's an honorable woman, and where I come from fidelity is not a question. Once you promise yourself to another that's it, you do not have sex with anyone else, in Bosco if a man promises himself to a woman and then sleeps with another his dick is cut off. If he's married and commits adultery, his head is cut off. It's pretty simple and easy to understand, no gray areas." Cristoff responded.

"But as her mate…" Charle protested

"She is still not my mate yet Charle, and until Christmas, she was not promised to me nor I to her. Until then, I was just her guildmate and a man trying hard to keep his distance so that I could teach her what she needed to learn." Cristoff interrupted.

"Look, I know you get this from Wendys point of view, and believe it or not, so do I, I understand my actions enjoying the company of women over the last year bother her and I am sorry about that, but I had to stay SANE Charle. Until I met Wendy I was going through life pretty certain no mate had been born for me and I was not happy about that but I'd accepted it as likely and was just living. I know it's hard for a Fioran to grasp, but just because I had sex with a lot of women while knowing Wendy and I were likely to become mated doesn't mean I don't honor what I have with Wendy now. I made a promise on Christmas, as she did to me. As far as I am concerned, we will become mated, get married by the laws of men as well and she will be, as she is now, the center of my world and all that matters to me." He said, his calm tone almost surprising.

"And you're fine with me being part of it all?" Charle asked and Wendy bit a lip, that was something she had wondered about as well.

"Charle, you're family, we may not get along perfectly but you're precious to Wendy, you love her and I can only respect your loyalty to her. Your home will always be with her, with us once we are mated. I was serious about the second floor room with the bay window, Bickslow and I could change that window in less than an hour so it could have a small section that you could open from the outside and fly in whenever you wanted through your own entrance to the house. It's a good sized room, we can set it up however you want. I'd prefer the bedrooms on the back of the house be kept for our children when we have them." Cristoff said. Wendy almost gasped when he mentioned having children, her whole body blushed and warmed with pleasure that he had actually thought about that to the point of knowing where he wanted the childrens rooms to be.

"You do want children then…I am really pleased to hear that, Wendy loves children." Charle said, her tone brightening.

"With her nature I couldn't imagine she didn't, I love children Charle, and I want to have them, Wendy will be a an amazing mother one day. There's no rush for it, and really who knows if we'll even still want this house when she's ready for that, maybe she'll want something bigger, with a little land or something. I didn't buy this place with her in mind honestly, I bought it sight unseen, Bickslow picked it out for me when I knew I was being transferred to Fairy Tail. Wendy will have to decide if she wants to keep this or we can sell it and buy another. But in the mean time I would like you two to move in here and that second floor room would be perfect for you Charle, you should look at it." Cristoff said.

Wendy drew a breath, figuring this was a good spot to jump in. She made a little noise, knowing Cristoff would hear her and dropped her bag in the livingroom before heading into the kitchen.

Charle was sitting on the kitchens island bar, a cup of tea and a partially eaten toasted bagel in front of her. Wendy spotted a bakery box from Wessermans, Erzas favorite bakery, and Cristoff reached out and put a steaming cup of tea into her hand that she took gratefully.

"Good morning." He said

"Good morning Wendy." Charle gave her a warm look, lifting her cup to sip at her tea.

Cristoff was leaning against the counter by the fridge, dark blue track pants with white stripes down the legs, a black tank and a dark blue hoody left unzipped on, his black hair hung loose and he had a large mug of coffee in his hand.

Clearly he'd gone and gotten them breakfast while she was in the shower.

"Well, I'm going to get a shower, won't be long." He said, taking his mug with him and leaving them.

She heard the water start and plucked a bagel from the box before sitting by Charle.

"How are you feeling today my dear?" Charle asked her.

"Tired still, my magic energy is going to take a bit to build back up, and I'm worried, scared about what happened, what could still happen…" She said.

Charle nodded, when Cristoff had mentioned this morning he wanted her and Wendy to move into this house with him she'd been shocked and instantly dead set against the idea, but given recent events, and how shaky Wendy was, how much comfort she got from Cristoff being near, maybe it wasn't such a bad idea. None of them really, nobody in Fairy Tail, should be alone right now with how things were happening.

"Wendy…how would you feel about moving into this house with Cristoff?" Charle asked.

"Shit! Seriously?" A deep voice chuckled and both woman and exceed looked up in surprise. Bickslow had come into the kitchen, Wendy was a little disconcerted he'd come into the house without her noticing but then…she was listening to the water running imagining Cristoff in the shower…

The Seith went to the cupboard and fished out a mug, poured himself a cup of coffee and then started looking through the bakery box.

"You two are thinking of moving in here huh? I think it's a great idea." He said, plucking out a muffin and then taking a seat at the table before looking up at them.

He looked different than usual, in black track pants with green stripes down the legs and a dark green compression shirt, a black hoodie with green stripes down the sleeves, all in all nothing like his usual mission clothes. His eyes weren't covered either, very different.

"Charle just mentioned it…" Wendy said, and her mind was trying to tackle that idea but she was just so mixed up and overwhelmed right now she was having trouble with it.

"Well, with things how they're getting Cupcake, Cristoff also being your man and all, might be smart not to be living alone, hell, even I've been haunting Freeds, Laxus' and you know I've been over here a lot and that was before what we just went through, shit…maybe I should move in here, Wessermans just around the fucking corner…I so should have made him take my house and I coulda had this one, I like the location even better than mine." The Seith grinned and Wendy smiled.

They chatted, and Bickslow made the whole idea of Wendy moving into Cristoffs house sound so fun and simple and lighthearted she was loving the idea by the time Cristoff emerged.

He was in a dark blue compression shirt like Bickslows the same track pants and hoodie as before, carrying a bag he put down and nodded toward. "I fished out your armor set, found a leather shop here in Magnolia I'm going to take yours and mine to so they can make new pants for both sets, repair the boots too. Freed can reset the runes and I'll get the enchantments in place before we get sent out again. Morning Bix."

Bickslow smiled "Morning little bro, so my future little sister here says you've invited her and Charle to move in?"

Cristoff gave Charle a mildly surprised look and smiled "Yeah, I'd prefer to have them here…I want them safe. Besides…once Wendy recovers, I'm opening her second origin."

Even Bickslow gasped.

"Am I ready?!" Wendy asked, wide eyed.

Cristoff smiled "Since you did that heal on the roof in Hargeon with me, yes, that barrier won't get thinner and we can't let it crack open on its own while you're in combat or something, it needs to be done in a controlled way to be as safe a process as we can make it."

Wendy just stared at him and he laughed.

"Don't like so scared, once you're back up to full strength again we'll go to the guild and I can open it. I've got some hope it won't be as bad as mine was when my brother opened it." He said.

"Why is that?" Bickslow asked "I mean besides the obvious you don't want Wendy to suffer like Kaleb would want you to thing."

Cristoff snorted "Yeah there's that. But I have an idea…a theory…I talked with Freed and Levy about it, hoping to catch Prolyusica, I sent a message to her this morning that I plan to open Wendys second Origin this week and would like her there. But…see, Wendy has been…tapping me." Cristoff frowned, trying to sort out how to put into words what he'd been sensing and it wasn't coming out right.

"Shit! Way to go Cupcake!" Bickslow cackled.

Cristoff gave him a confused look, Wendy blushed red and looked horrified along with Charle and then Cristoff realized his mistake and laughed with his brother for a minute before waving his hands.

"Not like that you ass, my magic, she's been tapping my magic energy, she 's able to reach right into me, can even lace her magic with mine, I'm betting we'll be able to do some pretty incredible unison raids and even combine area of effect healing spells once her second origin is open and I can teach them to her. But what I'm sort of hoping is, instead of just going into magic deprivation when that second origin opens and all the magic in the first flows into it and leaves you suddenly going from full to almost nothing that you tap into me, pull magic energy from me to keep from dropping too low, you were kind of doing it in Hargeon, it's why I kept stopping you and making you help Lucy, it made the effect of my healing spells inconsistent and started endangering the people I was healing when you got real low on your own energy and would tap me hard to cast a heal." He explained.

Wendys eyes widened "Why didn't you tell me that?! I thought you were just being overprotective and got really mad!" She frowned.

Cristoff smiled ruefully "Because love, anger is a strong emotion that helps you replenish magic faster, by letting you get angry with me, I was making sure your magic replenished quicker so you could get back to healing folks…so in a way you weren't wrong, I was being overprotective." He chuckled.

Wendy blinked at him…he'd been helping her, letting her be mad at him…and he'd just called her "love" and she'd really liked that. Yep, her brain shorted out for a moment.

"So you think she might pull magic energy from you instead of letting herself drop so low she goes into shock and gets sick like you did huh? Anyway she can just make sure she does that?" Bickslow asked.

Wendy realized all eyes were on her and she almost jumped "What? No…I…I don't even realize I'm doing it, I mean, Cristoff has been telling me I do, and I've known when I mix my magic with his for spells because I've been able to do that as long as I've known him, since we did it at Lakeshore for that woman, but I don't know how I do it…" Wendy admitted.

"Maybe it's something you two should try and work on" Bickslow asked.

Cristoff frowned "Her barrier thinned a lot in Hargeon, I was worried I'd have to put magic binding bracelets on her toward the end there it was getting so close but we were sent home before I had to, I wouldn't risk much magic work right now with her, it could cause it to rupture and without being ready for that…I don't know, opening that origin is risky as it is."

Bickslow nodded "It sounds like a fucking amazing ability, you ever been able to pull magic energy from anyone else Cupcake?" The Seith asked, rising to get himself another muffin.

Wendy shook her head, eyes on Cristoff where he was sitting at the table, his midnight eyes met hers and she blushed in spite of herself. "No, never, not from anyone but Cristoff." She said, focusing her attention on her tea.

"I think it's because I'm her mate, or will be, there's been a really strong bond between us from the beginning, and it's been getting stronger, I feel it most when we're touching." Cristoff said.

"Yeah I bet you do." Bickslow snorted, starting to sit down but Cristoff kicked the chair out from under him and he landed flat on his ass on the floor.

Wendy snickered while the Seith mage picked himself up, giving his brother a warning look that promised retribution. Cristoff looked unimpressed.

"So you working out today I assume?" Bix asked, eyeing his brother. Cristoff nodded, standing and going to the kitchen sink to rinse out his mug. "Yeah, I need it, upper body right?" He replied. Bickslow nodded.

"You guys are going to the guild gym?" She asked.

"That we are cupcake, like we do most mornings unless I just do weights in the attic Cristoff has set up or we go for a run and I humiliate him." Bickslow grinned.

"Like I humiliate him when we do weights." Cristoff smirked.

"Touche." Bix chuckled.

"You want to join us?" Cristoff offered, gathering the dishes Charle held out to him, rinsing them off and setting them in the dishwasher.

"Me?" Wendy almost squeaked.

"Why not? Building physical strength helps your magic." Bickslow said.

"Yeah, I was going to start you into workouts when we got your second origin, it's actually a really good idea since you can't work your magic until we do that, strenuous physical workouts help with stress too." Cristoff said, then leaned in close to her ear as he bent to collect the bag with their armor in it "That's another reason sex is good for you." He whispered. Smiling and shouldering the bag as Bickslow put his mug in the dishwasher.

"Yeah, come with us cupcake, Laxus and Gajeel are both gonna be there, hell Lucy and Cobra might even show up." Bickslow said. Wendy managed to regain use of her voice in spite of Cristoffs husky whisper that had sent a shiver through her.

"I think I will." She agreed and Bickslow put an arm around her "Good, we'll get you started. You're gonna need to change though, that cute skirt wont work for the gym."

Wendy smiled "I have work out clothes and swimsuits at the guild in my locker there." She said.

Everyone kept an emergency bag and usually some work out clothes, swimsuits and such in their assigned locker at the guild, it was always a wise idea.

She went to grab her bag and Charle of all people stopped her "Leave it, we need to bring our things over here anyway." The Exceed said.

Cristoff plucked her out of the air, ignoring the white cats gasp of protest and hugging her "You're accepting my invitation then? You fantastic cat!" The Dragon kissed her head and Charle finally wrestled free of him, her fur rumpled and a disgruntled look on her face, but Wendy also caught the feline blush and faint smile.

"I guess we are." Wendy giggled. Bickslows arm around her hugged her to his side. "Well then, I guess after our workout we'll be helping you move then!"

"Move, Move!" Bickslows babies whirled around them making Wendy giggle more. She felt at ease, walking with the two men, like she belonged there. It was the happiest she'd been in days.

They went to the gym first, Laxus and Gajeel were both there already, giving them a hard time for being late but then forgiving Bix and Cristoff when they learned Wendy was going to start joining them in the mornings.

Cristoff had been right, the exercise did help clear her head, though when she stepped from the stationary bike Laxus had set her up on and was pausing to wipe her face she found her heart racing back up to speed.

Cristoff was on a bench, hoodie cast off to the floor. Bix was standing by his head, "spotting" him and he was doing reps with a massive set of weights. The dark blue compression shirt was skin tight like it was supposed to be, and every muscle as it flexed and released showed. The hard look of concentration, his black hair hanging down, the shirt glistening where sweat had soaked through it from his exertion.

"That's another reason sex is good for you." He'd said, his midnight colored eyes holding a promise she didn't understand but badly wanted to. That tall powerful body of his…would he sweat like that when they….would the exertion be that heavy?

The idea of him panting, sweating, straining that body in her arms…

"Easy brat, they'll catch whiff of that and give your man hell as well as tease you." Cobra was suddenly walking past her, Lucy stopping to pat her shoulder.

Wendy blushed crimson and Lucy grinned. "Come on, we'll do some leg work now that you're warmed up, you're gonna melt into a puddle on the floor if you keep watching him."

They went to the leg machines, and Wendy was grateful to have her friend there.

"Does it get easier? You know…seeing him…once we've…." Wendy tripped over what she was trying to ask and Lucy smiled knowingly.

"Nope, all Erik has to do is reach for something sometimes, I see some tanned skin and muscle and that's it, I'm dragging him to the bedroom." She admitted.

Wendy giggled, imagining Lucy pouncing on Cobra when he reached for a glass in the cupboard. She had honestly caught herself with thoughts straying in those directions when Cristoff had been doing the most mundane things. Like pushing a chair out of his way or opening a door.

"It goes both ways though, remember, your body drives him as crazy as his does you, more so, men seem to think that way more often and easier than we do. So if he ever teases you for catching you giving him lusty stares, you can always get him back…" Lucy grinned.

"Hey! Cristoff says we're opening your second origin this week!" Gajeel called from where he was spotting Cobra.

Wendy grinned and Lucy gasped "What? Finally! Oh my Gods, you know it almost feels like we should have a damn party over it or something, you've worked so hard!"

They finished up their work outs and Levy joined Lucy and Wendy to go soak in the womens hot bath before they dressed and all went to the leather shop Cristoff had found.

The capes had proven that the enchanted armor, for big jobs against dark magic, everyone would be better off with a set.

The Leather shop was thrilled to have the sudden flood of business, the man and his wife who owned it smiling and taking each wizard to be measured and gratefully taking Cristoff and Wendys sets as well, promising them very good results.

The woman even came up with some alternatives to the pants for the ladies in the form of slited overlapping flaps of leather making a skirt over thigh high boots that would offer some double layered protection where the skirting covered the boots.

Once done there they went to the guild for lunch and to wait for the meeting.

When Makarov came out he sat on the bar and looked out over his children, Gildarts stood beside him having just returned that morning.

"My children our kingdom, our country, is facing dark times, dangerous times. The attack on Hargeon is likely related to things that have been going on for more than a year now involving dark activities within the magic council itself." Makarov said.

"The death toll in Hargeon is heavy, but not as heavy as it would have been if not for the response from Fairy Tail and Lamia Scale, we do not know who sent the re-animated dragon, how they did what they did to it, or why but we have some suspicions. The request board is filling with help needed in many places, getting refugees from Hargeon settled, searching the rubble of the city for lost things, and people. We are going to provide all the help we can. To that end I am asking that anyone in Fairy Hills capable of moving in with friends for a while, please, we would like to offer housing to Hargeon people who lost their homes until those homes are rebuilt and they can return to Hargeon." Makarov said.

"Mirajane has two comfortable rooms in her home, Laxus is going to stay with Bickslow and Emma, Juvia and Laki will be moving into his house so two rooms will be open there." He said.

"Master! I still have four months paid on my apartment on Strawberry Lane! Two girls could take that over and share the rent. Cobra and I are moved out and in our new place now." Lucy called.

"Oh I will so take that, that bathtub is heaven!" Cana called.

By the end of the meeting, every woman in Fairy Hills had somewhere to go and the guild mobilized to make it happen. Makarov approached Wendy who was sitting by Lucy listening to the blonde fill Cana in on how to deal with her old landlady.

"My dear, you didn't speak up and say where you would like to go." He said.

"I'm moving into Cristoffs house Master, we actually decided that this morning before we even knew about all of this." She told him.

Makarov smiled "I heard he'll be opening your origin once you've recovered enough, Porlyusica will be here I spoke to her about it, I will be too of course. I'm very proud of all the hard work you put in to get to this point."

Wendy glowed with pride and the Master moved on to start getting everyone out the door and to work.

By the end of the day Wendys belongings had all been moved into the house on Park Street and she was putting her things away in the large room with the bay window on the second floor that would be hers and Charles.

Charle was quite pleased with the whole thing and had already talked Bickslow and Cristoff into making the change to the massive bay window with the soft plush seat built into it so she could use it as her own private entrance to the house. Charle had claimed the window area as her own too, loving that it got morning sun and gave her a beautiful view of the park across the street.

She set up her bed and other things there in the window area and had Cristoff hanging curtains to even give her some additional privacy if she wanted it.

Wendy had to admit, the room was huge and had a beautiful view, she already loved the house, it felt like home, had felt like home the first time she'd walked into it.

It sat at as the first house on Park Street and just behind it was the beginning of the Market district. If she climbed over the backyard fence she'd be behind one of Levys favorite book stores and Wessermans Bakery was just across Market street from that.

Bickslow lived two blocks past Park Street and she knew he was a frequent visitor, and now with Laxus living at Bickslows she hoped the Lightning Slayer would also come by often.

All in all, she was happy, she felt safe, and having Cristoff so close was a huge part of that.

Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Levy narrowed her eyes and Gajeel sighed, the script mage had been studying dragon gestation, mating, everything searching for information to help with the Egg they had recovered and she had finally come across information on mating, bonding, in relation to Dragon Slayers.

He'd known it would happen, it was inevitable with what she was researching, but he'd held out a small hope Freed would get those books before Levy did. He hadn't counted on the fact Freed gave over whatever her had gone through to Levy for her to review as well in case he'd missed some connection.

There were times Gajeel wondered if maybe Levy weren't better meant to be with Freed. Of course, then he would get pissed off and want to go rip the rune mage in half so he tried to push that idea aside when it came to him.

"I asked you a question Gajeel." Levy said, she'd stood up and crossed the room, leaving her comfortable reading chair and even letting the book she'd been reading fall to the floor and stay there so she could look him in the eye where he'd made the mistake of sitting on the couch.

Now he had heated hazel eyes trying to lock with his, pink full lips perched in anger he seriously wanted to claim with his and a hard question to answer.

"Am I the woman you want for a mate?"

There was a simple answer, but it would split open a hornets nest of others he wasn't ready to deal with. Not after Hargeon had drivien home his feelings that he and Levy should wait. He'd just danced with a re-animated dragon, re-asserted to himself his country was in serious fucking trouble and as a strong member of Fairy Tail, the strongest guild in that country, he knew when trouble came, he'd be facing it, just like he had in Hargeon.

If he was panicky about his mate getting hurt, and he knew she would not stay somewhere safe and let him go off and fight without her, he'd be distracted, hell he'd been distracted and she wasn't even his mate, their souls weren't even joined by that process and every moment his brain had a split second to focus on anything but fighting that fucking dead dragon it had thought of Levy.

Cobra told him he was being an idiot, something Gajeel had laughed at considering the Poison slayer had mated with Lucy without even meaning to or knowing what mating even was.

But then, Lucy said he was being and idiot and he actually gave a shit about her opinion. She'd told him he needed to just get over whatever was holding him back, Levy loved him, he loved Levy, suck it up and take the plunge.

He'd stood by Cristoff though, figured the Lunar Slayer understood better than the others, he was standing off, keeping his distance from the woman he was meant to have, sure maybe Cristoffs reasons made more sense to everyone than Gajeels did, but reasons were still reasons.

Then Cristoff had gone and admitted it all, come clean with Wendy, started being the man Wendy wanted, needed, and he'd done it purely because Wendy had been unhappy, because Wendy didn't deserve to doubt herself.

It left Gajeel standing with no other Dragon Slayer to point at when asked why he hadn't taken the next step with Levy.

Lily was making his life hell too, the exceed didn't like the fact Gajeel was ok with Levy going through these changes she was dealing with because the dragon magic was trying to force the Iron Slayer to claim his mate.

Gajeels response to it that he thought Levy growling and being assertive was sexy as hell and he was enjoying the changes didn't go over well.

Levys hands hit his shoulders and she slammed him back against the back of the couch so hard his ears rang for a second, the script mage was in his lap now, kneeling over him, straddling his hips, she grabbed a fistful of his hair and yanked his head back, forcing him to look up at her.

Now he had to keep from smiling, but his red eyes narrowed, a low growl rumbling in him, excitement shot through him when she growled right back at him.

"Answer me!" She demanded.

"Yes." He hissed when she twisted her hand in his hair.

She let go immediately, slid off his lap and backed away from him. Her eyes going from fierce to tear-filled.

"But you won't do it…because you aren't willing to share yourself with me…is it because I'm weak or are you afraid of something else?" She demanded.

Gajeel growled, "You're not weak. That thought never entered my mind and I wish it would stop entering yours." He returned.

"Then why Gajeel? Gods, the country is in such a state right now, we might have battles like Hargeon to face in other places without warning, why would you not want to…be with me? Share that with me?" A tear fell and he wanted to kick himself.

"Levy, once we're mated that's it, we're one, you understand that? I'm not talking till death do us part either, death takes us BOTH, I die you die, and in case you haven't noticed, I tend to be out front a lot in these battles, I HAVE to be, I'm needed there and I don't want my risks to be yours!" He snarled, standing because he couldn't sit still anymore.

The very idea of her dying because he'd fallen in battle, the world being without such a brilliant light…he couldn't deal with it.

"Has it occurred to you yet, you selfish ass, that I might not WANT to live without you? That I wouldn't be able to face a world without you in it? I wouldn't you know, I wouldn't just go on, wouldn't find happiness somewhere else, you're all I've ever wanted Gajeel…the other half of me is you, you're my strength, the beat of my heart and I want to be part of you in every way I can be." She said softly.

Gajeel stared at her…dumbstruck.

He knew she loved him, she told him every day, showed him with her body, all the things she did and said gave him proof every day she loved him. He hoped he did the same for her, he told her, more than he'd ever though himself capable of he said it, showed her, every way he could he…

No.

Not every way. He was denying her, rejecting her with every minute he let slip by unbound to her. He could say it a million times, fuck her until he couldn't move, it was all meaningless unless he backed it up with the commitment he could give her.

Like Cobra, who had swallowed pride and a lifetime of fear to step up and be what Lucy needed him to be. Or Cristoff, who had suffered a year at a distance, held his feelings and everything he knew at bay and chucked it aside the minute he realized doing it was causing Wendy to doubt herself. He'd stepped up, told her everything, and now struggled harder than he ever had before so he could maintain things until Wendy was ready, making everything harder for himself than it had to be, Cristoff would give anything to be in Gajeels position, able to claim his mate whenever he wanted with no risks beyond those every mated pair faced.

"I…I'm sorry Levy…I want to protect you…I…it's me…I don't know if I'm strong enough to fight, to be who everyone needs me to be, knowing I could kill you if I failed." He said quietly.

Levy shook her head, more tears stinging her eyes. "I…I can't wait forever for the world to give you guarantees Gajeel…there's never going to be a day when you can say you're sure you wont face death in some way. All I can tell you is I love you and I want you and…you're hurting me waiting for some promise of safety that's never going to come." She said, then she was out the door and he was sitting heavily on the couch not sure what to do or say or even able to think clearly.

Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxxoxo

"What's that?" Cobra leaned over Lucys shoulder as she set a box on their little kitchen table. She smiled, turning to kiss his cheek but he was quick and caught her lips and she moaned softly into his kiss.

The man got to her, as badly now as he had before he'd ever touched her, that heavy powerful wanton need for him never seemed satisfied. His playful nature, which was so nasty in public, had become sweet, endearing, sharp and sexy in private and she couldn't get enough of that either.

What had started as a playfull kiss turned like so many of their playful moments did, into Lucy yanking his shirt up his body, he let her break their kiss long enough to lift the shirt away and he tossed it aside, growling as her hands slid over his bare skin, smiling when they moved to his belt.

"You know you could just answer me, I wanted to know what was in the box." He chuckled as she yanked his belt open and his jeans shortly behind it, started shoving them down as he lifted her onto the table.

"I want what's in your pants right now." She breathed, running her tongue over his earing and making him moan as she freed him from his clothes. He kicked his jeans and boxers away, opening the buttons of her blouse, then smiling when he saw the clasp in between her beautiful heavy breasts.

"Aww honey, you know I love this bra." He purred, he did too, told her he was going to burn all her others and make her get nothing but this kind with the clasp in the front. He undid it with two fingers, setting her full chest free and dipping his head to reward her choices.

"Ah!...I…ordered…more…" She gasped out as his fingers found their way between her legs.

"That's my girl." He hummed against first one nipple until it was firm, then started on the other while his fingers slid into her.

"So wet so fast…" He moaned, he adored how responsive Lucy always was, drove him wild how easy she was to excite, how she made so many wonderful noises and her body so strongly reacted to everything he did. His own was at her mercy just like the rest of him was. She owned him, heart, soul, mind, body and he would never have believed he could be happy like that but Gods was he ever.

"Only for you." She replied, making his heart heat in his chest, his body burn for her even more.

He slid her panties away, didn't bother with removing her skirt, just pushed himself into her waiting heat in one hard thrust that had her gasping then they were frantic.

They got like this now and then, more since Hargeon than they ever had before. He needed to be inside of her, needed to feel her, and she wanted him deep, close, and the rougher, the harder, the more feeling and sensation created, the better.

Their bond doubled it all, he felt hers, she felt his, every wave of pleasure, every thrill and shudder was shared once he was inside her. So he drove hard, griping her hips and pulling her hard to meet every one of his thrusts even as her thighs clamped on his hips and her heels dug into his ass to help ram him into her even harder.

She was lifted from the surface of the table and he slammed her into the wall, one arm hooking under one of her knees while his free hand cupped her ass to keep pulling her into his thrusts that were deeper now with the new angle and she was unable to breathe right, every breath a short ragged gasp until finally she screamed and he snarled and they both were over the edge of it, tipped into the body raking spasms of pleasure while her body milked him of all he had and he sank to the floor, bracing himself pulling his arm free of her leg so he could press that hand to the wall and steady the descent.

They sat there panting, foreheads resting against each other. "So…whats…in..the box?" Cobra panted and Lucy laughed breathlessly.

She was kissing him, about to suggest a second round before she told him anything, willing to hold the information hostage if he'd lay back and let her have a nice ride on her favorite Dragon when there was knocking at the door.

"Shit." The couple said in unison.

"Lucy?" It was Levy. Cobra looked at her and smirked, ready to tell his mate she needed to send her friend away, then his smirk fell and he sighed "Shit, yeah, go let her in, she's all sorts of upset, fucking Iron Balls. I'm grabbing a shower, don't forget your panties are somewhere…"

Lucy jumped from Cobras lap, reaching for her shirt while Cobra snatched up his clothes and retreated down the hall to their bedroom.

"Hang on just a sec Levy!" Lucy called, frantically retrieving her bra, grateful it was front clasping, she was so glad she'd ordered more of them, then pulled on her shirt, found her panties and yanked them on as she hurried to the door buttoning her shirt.

Levy was a wreck, all red puffy eyes, tear stained face, the works. Lucy gathered her into a hug and pulled her inside, closing the door and leading her friend to their little breakfast bar before turning and turning on the kettle, tea was clearly needed and she pulled out a bottle of rum, because it was needed too.

Xoxoxoxoxoxxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Porlyusica never liked people. But in recent months two had reached a point with her few ever did, she didn't hate them. Not to say she liked them, because she never liked anyone, but she didn't hate Emma, the little potion master had made Porlyusicas life easier and that was saying something. Suddenly she could sit down, discuss an idea to fill a need and the Emerald haired woman would grin, start rushing around gathering ingredients and then explaining how she could make it or sure would try to.

Then there was Cristoff, the tall dark Dragon Slayer was immensely powerful, wickedly handsome had an easy going nature, a quick smile…and he somehow played the hard natured medicine woman like a piano. His light hearted flirting, telling her he could see she was used to being beautiful because she carried herself like great beauties always did, making offhanded comments about how she would be popular in Bosco because many of the men her age enjoyed women with her kind of fire and sharp tongue. He was completely unafraid of her but he respected her, listened to her, valued her opinion on things and he kept her updated better than any other member including Makarov on what was happening with the guild she so often helped.

He was also, going to be Wendys mate, that alone would have lessened her dislike of any man. Because Wendy was her no one. Porlyusica liked Wendy.

That likely added to her lessening dislike toward Cristoff too, the man was working hard to help Wendy. Instead of simply opening her second origin, he not only let Porlyusica know Wendy was finally ready, he asked her to be there when he did it.

Yes she could help if Wendy went into shock or anything of that nature, and nobody knew better how to deal with magic deprivation sickness and sudden loss of power shock in mages than Porlyusica did, but she knew Cristoff could nurse Wendy through it, so she was glad he'd asked her to come.

Not that she was going to tell him or anyone else that, no, they were all LUCKY she was going to be there. They certainly didn't deserve her.

But Wendy did.

So Porlyusica sat down beside the chair Wendy was in, upstairs in the infirmary. Makarov and several others sat on beds a little distance away, only Porlyusica would be close while Cristoff did this.

He had done it for 7 mages now, all of them battle mages opening an origin no bigger than their first was.

He'd explained how this worked to Porlyusica, who had inundated the young man with questions, enjoying learning new information. Healers were so incredibly rare, it was lost magic, and now she had access to a young but very experienced one, who had not two but three origins open, understood how to develop healing magic in the most effective way in order to increase how healing spells worked and strengthen their impact.

To top it all off, the young man was just pleasant to look at, had a smooth voice with an attractive accent and a keen sharp sense of humor.

He sat on the infirmary bed in front of Wendy and smiled at her. "Ready?" He asked.

Wendy nodded, so nervous she knew her voice wouldn't work.

"Ok, I'm hoping you do what you've done before when your magic had taken a dive." He said.

Porlyusica frowned, "Which was?" She asked.

Dark blue eyes came her full of amusement "She took it from me, drained magic energy right out of me whenever hers was too low to handle what she wanted to do, if I'm close to her, she does it without thinking, the closer I am, the more she can do it." He replied.

Porlyusicas eyes widened she looked at Wendy who nodded sheepishly.

"That's impossible." The medicine woman said firmly. "Even with mated slayers they can't tap each others magic energy, they at best can combine magic spells to form remarkably powerful unison raids, but nothing more."

"Preaching to the choir." Cristoff quipped "I know it's unheard of, and all I've got is a theory based on what I've felt her do, if she can, she might not go into shock and suffer like I did when my second origin was opened."

He pushed Wendys hair from her face, cupping her chin in a hand and smiling at her "I hope I'm right. So, close your eyes. I'm going to need to hold you, my hand will be over your forehead. You'll feel a sharp pain, like you've been stabbed, then your magic energy will suddenly drop ok? It can be really alarming, it's a horrible sensation but it's natural so don't panic."

She nodded "I'm ready" She said firmly.

He slid a hand into her hair and the other over her forehead partially covering her eyes then his own eyes flashed silver and Wendy stiffened and screamed. It was a horrific, agony filled scream that had the Dragon Slayers in the room instantly struggling with themselves. Gajeels fists balled, every fiber of his being wanted to rush forward and attack Cristoff.

Laxus, Natsu, Cobra, all exactly the same, but stood behind Makarov shaking, the Master holding his hand up toward them in warning.

Tears came to Lucys eyes and she clung to her rigid mate, Levy clasped her hands over her mouth. The only one not effected was Porlyusica who remained still. Cristoff seized up a moment after Wendy, gritting his teeth and groaning as he felt himself hit, felt his own magic energy suddenly brutally being pulled on.

Wendys scream cut off and she fell forward, Cristoffs arms going around her, pulling her hard against him he grasped one of her limp hands and smiled faintly when she squeezed his fingers weakly.

As he lay her back on the bed he touched her forehead and smiled, the second origin was open, healthy, so was the first, both undamaged and both had energy in them, not much, but some. He could feel it.

Then, almost before Wendys head was rested back on the pillow Porlyusica was turning his head toward her, looking into his eyes and lifting a clean cloth to his face, when she pulled it back he blinked seeing blood on it.

"You were right…she pulled on you when she needed to…I have never even heard of such a thing before." The woman leaned over Wendy then and let out a breath.

"and she isn't in magic deprivation…she should recover and have full access to her magic within a couple of days but I want her to avoid using any magic until next week. Then she'll need some schooling to handle her new range." The woman said, pleased beyond all reason but showing nothing.

She was in awe of what she'd just seen, that Cristoff had been born, made from the ground up to belong to Wendy there was no doubt, whether she knew it or not, the young woman had complete control over her future mate to such depths she even could access his magic energy, so his strength would add to Wendys in every way, even more so than it already did when the pair were finally mated.

She had never looked forward to that, hadn't been thrilled about Cobra blundering through mating with Lucy, but this union, Porlyusica was excited about.

"Allright, everybody OUT, she's going to be fine and Cristoff get your ass into a bed, you just had a large amount of magic ripped out of you by force. You can all come congratulate her tomorrow!" Porlyusica stood and everyone scrambled to obey her, nearly tripping over each other to leave the infirmary.

Xoxoxoxoxoxooxoxoxoxoxoxoxooxoxox

Cristoff woke a couple hours after Porlyusica had forced him to lay down, With his deep magic reserves the pull from Wendy had been a jolt but it hadn't really harmed him much, just blown some vessels, hence the nosebleed that had made Porlyusica ignore his protests that he felt fine.

When he sat up there was nobody in the infirmary but him and Wendy. He could tell Gajeel had been there, all the others too, but Gajeel had lingered longest, apparently even been by his own bed which was odd.

He slid out of the bed and went to Wendy, sitting beside her on the edge of the bed and brushing her hair bangs back so he could touch his hand to her head. The origins were fine, healthy, filling relatively slowly but that was normal, her regeneration would improve to compensate with time and continued training.

He sighed, she was beautiful, and he absolutely ached for her, had for a while, more since Christmas since he'd finally tasted her, felt her body against his, seen lust for him in those deep brown eyes that was more than just the shaky crush driven want but the deeper, significant, real desire.

It was painful now, waiting. Knowing she was his, knowing there was passion there waiting for him to help ignite it. Gods the things he was going to teach her, all so much more enjoyable than anything they had ever done with her magic. She had no idea what her body was capable of, but he'd teach her.

He would show her how to control him too, how to shatter his control and possess him when she wanted to, he liked the idea of a mate who had the ability to make him come undone as easily as he would be able to do it to her. He wasn't so arrogant or power mad that he would hide or keep that sort of thing from her.

He'd love her too, shower her with affection, it caused him real pain not to hold her now, to kiss her when he wanted to, the way he wanted to. He'd have claimed her a year ago had he not known how badly she needed to advance, how much she was missing, and how his own nature would prevent him from being the teacher she needed once they were mated.

So he'd waited, tried to calm his frustration and the assault on his sanity caused by his dragons soul yearning to claim the mate it knew was his, focus on teaching, training, sparring with her.

He'd tried to ease his frustrations, tensions, cling to his sanity using things he'd always used, like sex, but it hadn't helped no matter how extreme he went and he'd offended the Fioran moralities of some of their guildmates doing what any Boscan male would do.

Explaining how it hadn't helped, or meant anything to him certainly wouldn't ease Wendys obvious feelings of being betrayed, looking back he should have asked Bickslow if him fucking women trying to ease his stress might upset Wendy after they had actually committed to each other but Bickslow likely wouldn't have been much help, being just as Boscan as Cristoff was.

He should have gone through a Promise with her, should have done that right after Lakeshore. Then he would have easily held himself in check, it would have felt natural to do so, and she wouldn't have felt this betrayal she perceived now.

Just because he didn't understand it, that it wouldn't have happened were Wendy a Boscan woman, didn't change anything…he'd hurt her, and that weighed on him. He'd make it up to her somehow.

Now he would wait again, while she recovered from opening the origin, and he would wait while she adjusted to her new magic levels, then, finally, maybe in a couple more weeks, praying to every God out there no more re-animated dragons or other great evils flew at Fiore between now and then, he could claim her.

He hated the idea of facing any more fights or threats without them being mated, his strength would add to hers when they were, she'd be able to fight and protect herself better, he'd be able to feel her, sense her, protect her better. He desperately wanted that more each day.

She stirred and he smiled when soft brown eyes heavy with sleep tried to focus on him.

"Did it work?" She asked hoarsely. He leaned down, kissed her forehead. "Yes, and you did what I'd hoped you would and used my magic to keep from plummeting too low, landed us both in infirmary beds for a bit but your second origin is open now, a day or two and you'll be ready to start adjusting to the way your magic will work, once you've done that…" He smiled, leaning closer to brush his lips over hers, enjoying the shiver that he made run through her.

"Then love…you'll be ready for me." He saw her eyes darken, smelled the instant arousal and bit back a growl, he couldn't react to her, had to keep himself cold or her dragon would leap at him before she was ready.

He hated, absolutely hated having to choke down and restrain his emotions around her, he wanted her to see, enjoy how she made him feel, he wanted her to get the rush of confidence from seeing how much she could affect him, how she owned him now already, before they had done more than just kiss or hold each other.

He wanted to show her how much he wanted her, but the dragon in her would react, he could sense it there, knew it looked through those deep brown eyes and watched for the challenge of a male. Emzadi had been hyper reactive by the time she was 18, Wendy had to be too.

"I want you…" she whispered and it ran all through him, the timid desire, the frail need, made that way by his lack of response, he looked away, eyes down, careful not to meet her vigilant gaze "I promise you Wendy, I want you every bit as much…I'll show you…soon." He said and rose, had to leave her, get some distance, his body was reving up, his heart rate getting hard to control and she'd sense all of it, her dragon would know.

"Rest love, go back to sleep, we train in the morning. I'll be nearby." He said.

"All night?" Wendy asked.

"All night, I won't leave you." Cristoff promised, as if he even could leave, distance from her was painful, horribly so, if he went home he'd go mad.

He met Gajeel, the Iron Slayer sat at the bottom of the stairs,

"She ok?" He asked. Cristoff eyed him closely as he stepped past him to the hallway. Gajeel looked tired.

"Yeah, better than you I think." Cristoff replied. Gajeel sighed "Will you do it? Claim her when she's ready?" He asked.

Cristoff frowned "I would have claimed her months ago if she'd been ready, yes, the moment she is steady with her magic and wont kill us both because it's unstable and her dragon soul won't care about that? I'm taking her, making her my mate." He replied.

"You're not worried about what could happen? Shits getting worse you know…" Gajeel said.

Cristoff narrowed his eyes "She'll be better able to fight if she had my strength added to hers and I'll be better able to protect her, find her when I need to be at her side, when we're mated. She's in more danger now than she will be once we're mated." He said firmly.

Gajeel looked at him and he hardened his dark blue eyes on the older slayer.

"You still haven't even put the first bite into Levy have you?"

"None of your business kid." Gajeel said, starting to stand. Cristoff didn't back down, he wasn't afraid of Gajeel, hell he wasn't afraid of anyone.

"You're an idiot." Cristoff snapped.

Gajeel narrowed his eyes "Careful kid, I've been dealing with a lot, I've got a lot of pent up frustration in me and I wouldn't mind taking it out on someone."

"Bullshit, only thing you need to do is go find Levy, take her home, fuck her till she screams and get your damn teeth into her. It's fucking easy as hell for you because she's not a Dragon Slayer." Cristoff said spitefully.

Gajeels low growl did nothing but make Cristoffs dragon stir and rise up hoping for a much needed distraction from his suffering over Wendy.

"Fuck off, you don't deserve yours any more than I do mine." Gajeel rumbled. Cristoff was right in his face then "The only one whining here is you, you iron coward, I don't doubt my worth!" He snarled

Gajeels fist caught him, even though he was expecting it and twisted it still grazed him and sent him flying down the hallway and through the back door. Gajeel laughed "Stay down you damn kid." He spat.

Cristoff didn't lose his feet though, he kept them, skidding to a stop outside the back door, eyes flashing silver he growled a low rumbling threat and Gajeel, who had been turning his back to walk away, spun at the sound and ran at him.

Cristoff braced himself, he knew Gajeel was going to hit like a train, but he had to get the man outside, to the practice ring if possible.

Backing up his own thrust forward as Gajeel plowed into him with some of his Magic Cristoff retained his feet and wasn't knocked flying again, this time he partially side stepped the Iron Slayer, lunged into the mans side as he was falling forward and sent him flying instead, right out into the arena.

He stepped into the ring as Gajeel moved to his feet and brushed sand from his trousers.

"You sure you want to do this kid?" He asked.

Cristoff grinned, sharp fangs showing he tossed his jacket to the side. "Oh I need this as much as you do Metalhead."

Gajeel rushed him, knowing Cristoff had some ranged power but unsure if the other slayer could fight hand to hand.

Unknown to them, the sound of Cristoff crashing through the back door had carried, Mira and Cana had both gone to look and seen what was going on, within minutes half the guild was gathered at the partition along the side of the practice arena.

The two men fought hard. Gajeel found out Cristoff had quite a bit of hand to hand experience, and that he could back up punches with painful things like his Shooting Star spell.

The big disadvantage Gajeel hadn't counted on, hadn't even thought of because he'd never fought one. Cristoff self healed and could enhance his own abilities. He didn't use the enhancements, but Gajeel watched the already bruising injury from his punch to Cristoffs jaw get wiped away when the mans glowing hand slid over it.

"Fuck." Suddenly his own Iron scales and resilience seemed like less of an advantage.

Cristoff wasn't willing to handicap himself too much though, he used his Lunar Shift to dodge and come out behind Gajeel, placing a heavy Star Fire driven kick into the other slayers back so he was hammered into the ground then grabbing him from crater.

The pair went on like that for more than an hour, people had brought out chairs, Cana taking bets, Mira started serving drinks outside as tables were pulled from the pool area.

It ended when Levy came outside curiously.

When she saw Gajeel go hurtling past to crash into the ground, his tunic now torn open, looking worse than he had after the fight in Hargeon she screamed his name and Gajeel heard her.

His heart wrenched in his chest and every bit of his desire to fight was gone in that moment. All he wanted was her.

Cristoff skidded to a halt and sank to his knees, he really was too tired for this. He'd only meant to go to the bar and have a few drinks until he could curl up in the bed beside Wendy and sleep.

Levy ran out as Gajeel was sitting up and Cana sighed "That's what they call a draw folks!" She declared to widespread groans.

As everyone started putting chairs and tables back Cristoff got to his feet and walked over to where Levy was feverishly kissing Gajeel.

When he cleared his throat and kicked Gajeels boot, he hadn't expected the script mage to hit him in the chest with a solid script hammer. A moment later he was groaning picking himself up out of the sand 20 feet away.

"Fuck, K Gajeel, she's your damn mate all right, Gods you need to do the deed already!" Cristoff coughed, running his hand over himself to repair his bruised sternum and ribs.

When he walked back over Levy glared at him but he held his hands up "I was just coming over to fix what I broke Ok? Shit, you hit damn near as hard as he does."

She blinked, blushing slightly and looking hard at Gajeel "I learned from the best." She said.

Cristoff cleared Gajeels injuries from their fight, smiling faintly when the Iron slayer then promptly picked Levy up, tossed her over his shoulder and left, ignoring the womans indignant curses at his back.

Heaving a sigh he drug himself to the bar, his time would come, he just wished it would be as simple as making the choice to go through with it.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

A/N Just to answer a few questions I've gotten, Yes, I do plan to use Cristoff again in other stories, if you read my other works you'll find out fast I love Bickslow and his family. I enjoy playing around with them, particularly Cristoff who is just wicked fun. No, I do not mind at all if anyone wants to use the character in their own stories, here is me officially giving my permission to other writers to yes, flatter me by bringing the Pradesh family I put together for my beloved Bixy into your own works. Maybe drop me a mention in an authors note as a high five but yes, you may use Cristoff, Farron, Kaleb, White Sea, anything I've created as long as you include a nod to me in an A/N or drop me a PM and let me know so I can cheer them and your story on.

Many thanks to the reviewers, as ever, you are the driving force behind a lot of this. Hiro Mashima owns Fairy Tail and its characters, I do own my own, and Thank you to Musicera for her feedback and encouragement. JD, Western, Teir, Kura and all of you (Kisses)...DESNA nope, not even close to done with this story so have no fear!


	20. Chapter 20 Lacrima

A/N...Ok, trigger warnings, this chapter gets dark in places, may be a touch read for some so fair warning. I spent a lot of time organizing this, agonized over some of what is in it M rated for a reason, I hold no hand who chooses to read this rating level of story. That said...enjoy...DESNA

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxooxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Levy almost screamed herself hoarse at Gajeel before finally falling silent, a little transfixed being face to back with the mans broad back and, she smirked slightly, his, as Cana put it "Grade A ass". She bit her lip, he really was gorgeous, and while she had no idea why he'd been outside with Cristoff fighting themselves toward unconsciousness, she was glad they had stopped, and that Cristoff had healed Gajeel back up.

She was still angry, still hurt, but she hadn't slept at all last night at Lucys, even though she and Cobras place offered a nice guest room. All she'd done was cry, and miss Gajeel.

She couldn't force him to make her his mate, had no idea why he hadn't yet, She half wondered if Laxus would mate with Emma before she got her Iron Dragon to put down his over protectiveness.

She'd told him how she felt, she didn't want to sleep alone again, she wanted him there, wanted to get lost in his massive bed covered in pillows and blankets, she wanted to get lost in him.

He carried her into his comfortable house, that she had called home for a while now and was so happy to be back she could have cried.

He set her down then, and she met uncertain crimson eyes. "You know the risks…" He whispered.

"No worse than they are for Bisca and Alzack Gajeel, I want to be yours." She stepped onto the couch, gratified it actually put her at eye level with him. Putting her arms around his neck she only had to lean in part of the way because he met her, heavy arms closing around her tightly as his lips slanted over hers hungrily.

The scent or earth and iron, the taste of metal and rain, that was him. She couldn't ever hope to get enough either. Kissing him as feverishly as she had in the arena she bit his lower lip and sucked at it, drawing out a growl that she answered with her own.

She'd done some reading last night.

"Take me Gajeel…make me your mate…"

This growl was lower, and she felt it through her right into her bones. She trailed kisses along his jaw then pulled his earlobe into her mouth and ran her tongue over it, he started moving, carrying her and she wrapped her legs around his waist and clung to him as he carried her to the bedroom.

"Tell me your mine…" He breathed, laying her down and moving over her, she was shoving the ruined tunic down his arms and met his eyes "I'm yours Gajeel…always."

He tossed his tunic away and reached down, her dress was gone, ripped from her, along with her bra and she could only gasp because he was kissing her, as he tore the last shred of clothing from her she barely noticed.

She had fumbled with his belt, gotten it open and he impatiently finished what she'd started, shoving the last of his clothing away and returning to her arms, hungrily kissing his way up her body, dragging his fangs here and there for sharp kips, reminders that they were there that set her pulse racing.

He slid into her as he came up her body and she moaned, grinding herself into him as he started his hips in motion, "Promise to let me protect you.." He said, teeth grazing her ear.

"Yes." She replied.

His dragon knew, knew this time there was no stopping, and it took him, ripping control from him and it was probably for the best that it had, because Gajeel still wavered, still worried, this woman meant everything, she was his light, his salvation, the world could end and he wouldn't care as long as he had her.

Harder and harder he drove into her and she clung to him, feeling the difference this time as opposed to all of the others, There was no play, he worked their bodies toward a goal hard and fast, they could play later, he promised he would be gentle, slow, tender, later, right now if he didn't reach this quickly he'd falter.

Her end raced to her, she felt it, gasping and almost whining as he pounded into her and when she tensed she felt his mouth hovering over her neck and then it happened, his fangs pierced her skin, her blood flowed into his mouth and she screamed "Gajeel!" and he growled against her neck, tongue sliding over the mark as his own body joined hers and his seed filled her, he felt himself pulled, felt his heart beating closer to her rhythm.

Levy clung to him hard, breathing hard, the bite had barely hurt once his teeth had gone in and she knew the first bite wasn't the big one, it wasn't until the second that there was no going back, but she was happy.

"You're mine…I'm yours…in a few days I'll set the second…do you believe me now? That I love you, want you?" He asked.

Levy smiled up at him. "I never doubted that you stupid dragon, but now I know you trust me to be at your side, to fight with you, and die with you if it comes to that. That, is what matters, knowing I have all of you, including the commitment, the real commitment…I love you Gajeel."

He watched her snuggle into his arms, tuck herself under his chin, happy, content now, and he smiled, she was truly his, in a few days the first bite would heal enough he could set the second, then maybe a week and the third, until that was done…he wasn't letting her out of his sight for a moment.

Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxxoxoxoxoxxoxoxoxoxoxxo

Sherria didn't know exactly what had happened. She'd been fighting, there had been replicants everywhere, she'd watched a roar from the massive dead dragon kill hundreds of frightened people that had been trying to flee, people were being killed all around her by replicants, she was low on magic, overcome by fear and horror, and then suddenly something had grabbed her.

Her boyfriend had started running toward her, yelling something she couldn't hear but she was drug into the air away from him too fast.

She'd screamed, thinking it was a replicant, the grip was painful, but then a strange heaviness had washed over her and she'd passed out.

She was waking up, or trying to, but she was tied to a table of some sort, laying in some strange room that looked almost like a doctors office. She felt so groggy, and her magic wouldn't come to her call so she could use a clarity spell and clear away whatever injury or drug might be causing it.

That alarmed her. Where was she? Looking down she was still in the filthy pink and blue dress that had gotten so covered in ash and the filth of battle, she could still smell it…the death that had hung in the air.

Tears stung her eyes, so many people…her boyfriend Heath, he'd been with her when she had…what…been taken by whatever had grabbed her, was he still fighting? Still alive?

How much time had passed? She struggled but she was bound tightly, ankles bound to the table, there was even a strap around her neck keeping her from really lifting her head much.

"She's awake." She heard a masculine voice, laced with mild amusement somewhere past her feet. She tried to look but couldn't get the angle until suddenly the back of the table she was on started lifting, bringing her up to a reclined position so she could better see around her.

It was a smaller room, but there were windows on one side looking out over an area she couldn't see any off other then a distant wall of rock.

Standing by her feet was a slender man with dark blonde hair and bi-colored eyes, one blue, one black in a dingy lab coat, black shirt and grey pants.

A small distance from him looking over something on a lacrima display she couldn't see from her angle was a very handsome man with black hair, his lab coat was immaculate, pressed, and he wore a white dress shirt and blue tie under a black vest and black pants.

"Good, hello my dear…welcome to the R&D special weapons division at ERA. I am Doctor Nuryev, this is my assistant, Dain." The handsome one was smiling at her, but there was something in the green eyes and his smile that made Sherria recoil in distrust, a maliciousness that was almost tangible.

"ERA? I'm in a Magic Council facility in ERA? Did you manage to stop that thing? Is Hargeon safe? Why am I being detained like this?! We were called in to help, I did nothing wrong!" She jerked at her bonds again but it was useless, the heavy manacles on her wrists were so tight her fingers were numb and her ankles were bound well too.

"Hargeon is still partially standing, Motherglare was unable to level it before he was brought down, we had not planned the whole thing with Dragon Slayers considered, a mistake we wont make again I assure you. I would still call the experiment a success though and you my dear are the reward we got for it." Nuryev smiled again standing.

He came and trailed a hand up her side and Sherrias eyes flew wide in alarm at his brazen touch and she wrenched violently against her bonds.

"You! You set that thing loose?! You killed all of those people! If this is ERA, the Council…How could you do that?! Don't touch me!" She screamed.

He smiled again. Looking over at Dain "She's very pretty, I expect her to be well broken by the time I come back Dain, I want to get to work on the lacrima by no later than tomarrow so enjoy yourself but don't waste time." He said. Sherrias eyes widened more, broken?! What lacrima?!

"Have a good day my dear, when we see each other again I doubt you'll be able to remember me…or much of anything really, but don't worry, your precious magic is being kept safe in those manacles, it's only your body and mind Dain will be…breaking." He smiled at her and walked casually past her as she felt Dain move closer. "Thank you for this Nuryev…she is…beautiful." Dain said, and Sherria looked up into now lust filled bi-colored eyes in horror.

"Enjoy her Dain, I wouldn't let you have the last one because I didn't want her pregnant and we were keeping her for a while, this one…well…once I get the lacrima done however much you fuck into her won't matter will it?" She heard the man call.

She screamed as Dain started cutting her clothes away but he ignored her, his smile just getting darker.

Once he had every shred of her clothing removed he gaged her, she tried to fight it but with the heavy strap around her throat she couldn't fight much.

She watched in horror as he adjusted the table, then he stepped between her spread legs, grasping one of her breasts with one hand while the other undid his belt.

Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxxo

Wendy frowned, gasping and biting her lip "I'm sorry!" She cried, watching Laxus pick himself up out of the sand of the practice ring.

"Again, on me this time!" Her eyes darted to Cristoff who was building a spell in his hand she knew he would hit her with if she didn't stop him but her own magic was all over the place.

The second origin did more than just give her a massively larger magic energy reserve, it also made her spells hit differently. Cristoff had warned her they would be inconsistent, unpredictable, until she had used them all several times and could even them out, adjust to the new way her magic flowed.

He'd been right, terribly so. Laxus and even Makarov were surprised by the way her magic differed from a regular battle oriented mage in this. Laxus could remember his magic needing adjustment time after his third origin was opened, but his second had been a minor thing, a couple hours on some practice dummies and he'd been fine. Hell, the group from Tenrou had only gotten a short time to practice after their second origins had been opened before they were fighting in the Grand Magic Games and everyone had been fine.

He'd sort of scoffed at Cristoff when he'd insisted Wendy had to adjust carefully, thinking the man was delaying taking the woman to the site they'd arranged for them to use for their mating in the forest to the east of Magnolia. Like Cristoff had cold feet or something.

But now, feeling it, seeing how Wendy couldn't regulate it well, imagining that being used by a riled up pissed off female dragon soul that was instinctually driven to already use the magic at death blow levels against Cristoff? He understood now why the man was adamant. Wendy had twice misfired spells and sent herself flying, Cristoff had already mended a wrist fracture.

If a rampaging dragon soul was using that unstable magic, Wendy could unwittingly kill herself. So again, Cristoff was protecting her and had the young womans best interests ahead of his own.

This was her fourth day of training, she was much better than the first or second day, she hadn't injured herself or misfired a spell today, but she was nearly in tears she was so frustrated with her own magic.

She went for a wing attack, knowing Cristoff had dodged then before and was gratified when it didn't go off wrong but gasped when it caused an explosion…her spell shouldn't cause that…what had she done wrong this time?!

Cristoff stood, shoved back a few yards but still on his feet, gave Laxus a nod that he was allright though his hand went to his left arm, he'd fired off the small attack of his own and it had exploded on contact with Wendys wing attack, a new reaction to her wind that usually sliced through but this time provided a firm enough surface area to trigger Cristoffs spell to ignite.

The explosion had distracted him enough he hadn't side stepped one of the arcs of Wendys attack and it had sliced down his arm clear to the bone in a couple of spots.

Blood ran down and he was examining the injury with interest, usually Wendys attack, the wind/air of it didn't separate things so well, it had definitely been more solid, more dense than the last time he'd handled that attack of hers, it was really impressive.

Wendy ran across the ring, horrified when she saw blood coming down, starting to pool by Cristoffs boot. Laxus sighed, brushing sand off himself and heading over to chat with Emma and get some water, Cristoff arm would need healing and he was betting Cristoff was going to make Wendy do it in spite of the risk so he figured he'd have a few minutes to relax and catch his breath before they were ready to continue.

Cristoff was tearing away what was left of the sleeve of his black button down when Wendy reached him, wide eyed.

"Don't get upset, it was my magic that caused the explosion, I wasn't expecting surface area on your wing attack arcs, before this they didn't have any but now they do, so that ignited my spell and caused that and it distracted me so I didn't side step one of the arcs. MY mistake not yours." He said firmly as she looked up and down his arm.

"But it was because the wing attack was weird…" Wendy whimpered.

"Not weird Wendy, just different than it used to be, better, stronger. I should have thought of that and not used a spell that exploded on contact with a solid surface. Again, my mistake, now heal my arm." Cristoffs tone was calm, his voice even.

Wendy gaped at him "You want me to try to heal with my magic like this?!"

He smiled at her "No, you're not trying, you're going to heal it, and don't leave a scar, and make sure the tattoo lines up right I don't want it messed up."

Wendy stared at his arm, it was slit open from just above his elbow to the top, right through the tribal arcs of one of his Boscan tattoos. It wasn't as intricate as his clan tattoo, but still complex and he wanted it lined up?!

"Before I bleed out would be nice…" He prompted and Wendy bit her lip, lifting her hands hesitantly.

She started lacing flesh, working in layers, and found the focus it required soothing. Usually she'd feel a drain, and she'd rarely been able to close up such a wound without leaving a scar but as she worked she almost smiled. She could feel a little tug at her magic but as bad as the cut was, it wasn't straining her to heal it.

When she finished she ran her fingers over his skin, smiling at her work, no scar, and she'd lined up the tattoo without a flaw, she'd never, ever been able to work like that before!

He pulled his arm out from under her hand. "Good work, really good in fact, now, lets try again, Laxus?" He called and Laxus looked up from leaning close to Emma and nodded.

Wendy frowned, why had he pulled away? She was just admiring her first healed wound like that that hadn't made her sweat and get tired…

Growling softly she turned and headed back to her place.

Cristoff flinched at her growl, taking some steadying breaths. Her touch had damn near undone him, her fingers sliding up and down his arm as she'd admired her work. He would have let her revel in the improvement but he'd felt that touch of hers all through his body, especially in his damn cock which had stirred and if her dragon caught whiff of him getting aroused, they were done smoothing out her magic and their mating battle would begin.

He had high hopes that good little healing test had given her a boost into balancing her magic. It was risky letting her heal like that, but heals required hugely more magic energy and control than offensive spells did and he hoped taking that risk had helped because she'd had to push a hefty bit of magic.

It was his damn arm, he could fix it if she messed up…hopefully anyway, and damn it, he was going to go insane soon if he didn't get her to where he could finally take her on and claim her.

All of her innocent touches, more than a year of burying his reactions, keeping himself cold so her dragon didn't get stirred by their interactions, it was like playing leap frog on egg shells and he couldn't crack an egg.

He really was a very passionate man, he loved sex, loved pleasuring women, and he wanted, needed, to share that with Wendy, wanted to more than he'd ever wanted any woman in his entire life, he was used to expressing himself, showing women they affected him, all of this, this last year, was so against his nature his patience was gone long ago and his willpower was at its very ends.

Wendy's next three attacks were flawless, and Cristoff was smiling, exchanging glances with Laxus who grinned, both men rushing her.

Ten minutes later all three dragon slayers were laughing a little maniacally, picking themselves up from the sand or in Cristoffs case pulling himself out of the retaining wall.

"I think you've got it kid!" Laxus grinned. They'd pushed her hard, and she'd held them both off, and none of her spells had gone out of her control.

"Should have injured Cristoff sooner!" Bickslow called from the rail. They all laughed and headed for the gate to leave the ring. Cristoff letting Wendy walk ahead of him and she had reached the gate before she realized it, frowning and turning to look at him questioningly, they always walked home together.

He shook his head at her and she caught a flash of silver in his gaze, suddenly felt the dragon in her stirring restlessly in a way it never had before.

"Go home and rest Wendy… Bickslow will come get you tomarrow, bring you to me…because you're ready now, and I'm done waiting." His voice hit her, made heat curl in her belly, her dragon clawed at her and a growl rose in her throat. He didn't move toward her though, kept his distance, but her magic stirred at her dragons biding, brought his scent to her, misty night time wind with a delicious masculine edge to it.

Her fangs lengthened in her mouth, another growl coming from her and Laxus grabbed Emma to him, a crack of thunder sounding his hasty departure.

Bickslow drew a careful breath and put a hand on Wendys shoulder laughing "Come on cupcake, Charle will worry, lets get you home so you can sleep, you can rip my brother apart tomarrow…" He said loud and bright.

She blinked, looking at him in a sort of dazed confusion. Her eyes had turned pink and Bickslow had to fight to keep his light smile "Ready? We can stop and grab some take out on the way." He offered, she nodded, letting him put an arm around her a start walking. Her dragon wasn't pleased at all, there was a male, a dragon behind her that she had scented desire, challenge from…

Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxxoxoxoxox

Almost an hour later Bickslow came in through his front door and gave Cristoff a worried look. Laxus and Emma were sitting with his brother in the dining room and Bickslow dropped into one of the chairs.

"She's confused and scared but very anxious to have you little bro." He said.

"Yeah, I already told him he should have just teleported out of there without saying anything." Laxus grumbled, the tension in the air had shot through the roof, instinctually he'd known as soon as Wendy growled, as an unmated male he might be seen, even though they were kin, as a threat and Emma, as an unmated female, a rival, so he'd gotten them both the hell out of there.

"I had to lay down my intent. Get her dragon kicked in, make sure it and she would respond." Cristoff said, heaving a sigh.

"Yeah well that was a fuck ton of magic that stirred in a hurry from her." Bickslow said with a whistle. Freed emerged from the kitchen carrying a pot in one hand a large bottle of chilled wine in the other and everyone smiled

"I for one am looking forward to documenting all of this. I know I can't witness the event…because of how it will hopefully end, but I almost wish I could." The rune mage said as Bickslow went to the sideboard to pull out cups and glasses.

Emma and Freed going for the tea, Laxus, Bickslow and Cristoff opting for the wine.

"I don't care if you're there." Cristoff said "As long as you stay back at a safe distance you should know I don't mind voyeurism." He smirked.

Freed frowned, but blushed anyway "It isn't voy…I have a purely academic interest! Female dragon slayers are so rare, the mating process for them, especially with a male dragon slayer is undocumented and an utter mystery!" He protested.

"It's a mystery to me too." Cristoff sighed.

Aside from Bickslow, who knew this, everyone gaped at him. "But I thought you…because of Emzadi.." Laxus got out.

Cristoff shook his head, downing some wine "Nope, Emzadi has tried twice yes, but both times during mating season with regular wizards, I was the only male Dragon Slayer in Bosco and I'm her kin, so I've never even seen how a female dragon slayer acts around a male dragon slayer until this last year. I've learned a lot, like how seriously I had to hide reactions from her, stay cold toward her and such or I stirred that dragon of hers."

"I just thought you were…well, I don't know what I thought, I'd seen you in Bosco, never saw you cool toward any woman before even if you didn't want to sleep with them, you've always sort of been…I don't know…" Laxus frowned, not sure how to put what he was thinking.

"He's the Teddy bear of the family." Bickslow snorted and Laxus chuckled, nodding "Yeah maybe that fits, not how I would have put it…"

Cristoff smiled, maybe some men would get offended by that but not him, his sisters both called him that. "I'm a natural empath, comes from the healing magic, and I've always been more comfortable with showing affection than Bickslow, he's just a whore." Cristoff smirked and Bickslow kicked him, hard, under the table.

"Shit! I need that leg in one piece tomarrow, You trying to give Wendy a handicap?" He grimaced, reaching down to rub his shin, Bickslow and his fucking steel capped boots.

"I wouldn't mind if she beat you up a little." Bickslow grinned. Cristoff sobered, "Yeah…well, she'll try." He said.

Bickslow frowned "Wendy's a sweet heart little bro, she won't hurt you much."

"Yeah…like Emzadi loved her first boyfriend too much to hurt him right? You remember there wasn't even a body left…" Cristoff said quietly.

Laxus frowned, he'd heard the stories about Emzadi and the two men who had tried to claim her. "But Emzadi is a solar Dragon, a battle type mage, pure combat, Wendy is a healer like you Cristoff, empathic like you are too and even more kind hearted than I think you ever were."

Cristoff sighed, it was difficult to explain why he was so troubled. He was completely at odds with himself and had been for over a year because of Wendy. He wasn't kidding about Freed watching not bothering him, and the four women he'd handled at Akane Beach hadn't been his most adventurous tryst, not by a long shot, it was just that he was worried about hurting Wendy.

It was a strange thing to be concerned about, with no doubt as far as he was concerned Wendys dragon would try with all its might to kill him, because female dragons had to only accept the strongest males, but that didn't concern him as much as what that would do to the dragon within himself.

He'd already been fighting for control with his dragon soul for months now, when it had dawned on him in the arena that Wendy was ready, that he could fight her and she would be able to truly fight him, his dragon had all but taken over, he couldn't move, his eyes had gone silver, scales had covered his hands and arms, glittering silver talons had slid out, he'd been ready then, his dragon had almost won and challenged her right there.

So while he didn't doubt Wendys dragon, he wished he could doubt his own. If it took over, and it was likely it would, his claiming of Wendy wasn't going to be gentle. Not that it could be, Dragon sex was far from tender when they first mated and her dragon wouldn't stop trying to kill him until he was firmly inside her, their bodies joined.

Once that was accomplished, Wendy would regain control of herself and could accept him, but his own dragon might not yield control like hers would.

That was one of many reasons why Gajeel had been worried, why Laxus really should be since Cristoff still saw no mark on Emma but could smell the two had definitely had sex.

The more powerful the male dragon slayer was, the more dangerous his mating process could be. Cobra had gotten lucky, Lucy was a very strong woman who had taken what he'd no doubt dished out well.

Gajeel would need to keep a good rein on himself with Levy, their size difference alone with the third bite could be a problem.

For himself, his worry was the gap between their magical and physical strength. Wendy wasn't as small as Levy, but she didn't have the older womans muscle tone either. Wendy had just gotten her magic stable today too.

Cristoff could bench an SE-car and was a double S class century rated mage that had been knighted because of his combat achievements.

There was a distinct gap between what each dragon soul had to work with once the fight started.

Still, his dragon wouldn't want to injure the woman he wanted to claim as a mate, it would pull punches, where Wendys would not, so maybe it would balance out. He sure hoped so.

"You know…" Freed said quietly "since Bickslow will be taking Wendy to where you two will be going through the rituals…maybe I could come to watch since you don't mind…getting this recorded…"

Bickslow cackled and Laxus rolled his eyes. "You want to watch them fight, that I can understand but you do get that ultimately, he's going to be fucking Wendy right?" Bickslow eyed Freed with a grin and Freed frowned "I realize how it works Bickslow, and I am not interested for pleasure reasons, I actually want to see what Wendy will do once Cristoff has claimed her…even Cristoff doesn't know, nobody does, it's never been recorded."

"Well they could tell you when they come home…" Emma said quietly. Freed sighed "Emma, you of all people should understand the signifigance as a scholar of being able to record something like this from a clinical point of view. Cristoff and Wendy, experiencing it personally, will have their views distorted by their emotions and such."

Emma shrugged, looking at Cristoff who downed the remainder of his wine and poured himself more. "I already said I couldn't care less if you watch us. Wendy might, but I won't." He said calmly. The information could only help his sister, and any other dragon slayers that came along.

Freed smiled "Then I will ask Wendy, honestly there should be at least a couple of people standing by to help in case you are both injured." He added.

"They're both healers Freed, they could pretty much heal each other, well, unless Wendy is actually as nasty as Cristoff says she can get." Laxus said.

"Well, you know where I stand, I'm heading to bed, tomorrow night is going to be a long one." Cristoff said.

"Tomorrow night? Don't you mean morning?" Freed asked in surprise.

Cristoff smiled "Lunar Slayer Freed, I'm at my best at night, and tomorrow happens to be a full moon, I'm not wasting it."

Xoxoxoxoxoxoxxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxxoxoxoxoxoxo

Nuryev entered the lab and wrinkled his nose slightly, Dain was cleaning up but he'd clearly spent the last 7 hours making quite a mess of the lovely pink haired mage.

"Mercy Dain, she'd best be alive still…" He said, walking to the table and checking the woman for a pulse. He smiled when he found a strong one.

"I never kill them Nuryev, I just break them down so their minds are weak and easy for you to rip through." Dain smiled.

He tilted his head at Nuryev "You know, she'd barely been touched, that boyfriend of hers sure hadn't put many miles on her yet."

Nuryev smirked "I'm sure you did though."

"Oh, she couldn't walk right now if she wanted to." Dain laughed. He'd completely enjoyed breaking the girl, she was strong, had held up for a couple of pretty rough rounds, but Dains magic was very, very dark, and he had toys, and his magic got stronger the more he violated a frightened body.

Her body had been his playground all day, he'd lost count of how many times he'd cum in her, but it had been enough that in spite of his magic charging with those sorts of acts, he was tired, he'd sleep well that was for sure, and have pleasant dreams about raping pink haired mages for some time to come.

Once she'd started crying, begging for him to stop, then, begging to die, he'd known he'd done his job.

"Did you clean her up?" Nuryev asked. Dain nodded "Yeah, so if the Seith wants a go he can have one, it's safe. I really didn't need to do much damage with this one, she was all rainbows and butterflies, snapped like a dried twig just being screwed the normal way. It was almost relaxing."

Nuryev smiled "Good, he probably will…ah! There you are, Jeret, our subject today is a lovely thing." Nuryev greeted the lanky man that had just come to the door.

Nuryev had implanted the Seith magic from the first woman into this man, he'd been a somewhat weak earth mage, and he really couldn't tap the Seith lacrima very well but Nuryev controlled it, using Jeret as a vessel for it, just fine.

Jeret was perfect for the work, mean spirited, cold hearted, no real morals, he'd jumped at the chance for hefty pay and benefits like getting to fuck pretty "subjects" before they ripped their powers out of them and put those powers into a lacrima.

He smiled at the voluptuous dark pink haired woman laying naked on the table. "May I?" He asked.

Nuryev grinned "Have at my friend, we still don't have the lacrima ready, enjoy her." He chuckled, turning to pull out a case containing a new lacrima while Jaret adjusted the table height and dropped his pants, stepping between the mages widespread bound legs.

She made a small groaning noise as the man started but didn't struggle and Nuryev went back to his work while Dain prepared the stand and they set the items up near the table, careful not to get to close to Jeret while he was enjoying himself.

When Jeret finished they lined up the stand and lacrima and changed the womans position, Jeret stood in front of her and pried her eyes open, she moaned weakly at the pain but again there was no struggle left in her anymore.

A brief flash of sickly yellowing light and the woman still, eyes wide and fixed on Jeret as Nuryev placed his hand on the back of Jerets head.

In spite of the torture she had been through the woman ended up presenting the men with quite a struggle, her soul didn't want to release the magic that had become its lifesblood, she didn't want to die this way.

Her fight was long, she clung to memories of sisters and cousins, of friends and guildmates. Her boyfriends laughing face, battling against Wendy Marvell in the games years ago, everything that made her who she was, piece by piece it was torn from her as she struggled to find things that would keep her lifespark within her.

As the sun rose though, her fight was finally spent and a pinkish light lit in the lacrima on the stand, the body on the table spasming a few times as life left it and the yellowish glow faded in the womans eyes, followed by the last spark of life that had belonged to Sherria Blendy.

Nuryev lifted the lacrima from the stand, placing it in the case and smiling. "The masters will be very happy with this one, a Godslayer no less, the power set will be very valuable. Dain, do some research into other Godslayers, they're not easy to extract by any means, clearly she could have been softened more, but such power…I'm sure the masters will want more once they see this." He said.

Jeret was leaning on the empty lacrima stand, giving the dead body a glance "So you guys done with me?" He asked.

"Yes, thank you Jeret you may go back to the bar, your account will be credited according to the time spent, a nice payday for you." Nuryev smiled. Jeret grinned "Yeah, on more than one level, that one was hot. See ya." The man waved and left, rubbing his temples, he always had a headache after an extraction, but oh boy had this one been worth it.

Nuryev turned to the lacrima screen and was greeted after a few moments by a smiling woman with long grey hair and hard black eyes.

"My beloved Queen…we've successfully extracted a healers magic, from a Godslayer no less." He said, bowing.

The woman nodded "Oh my son, I am proud of you, you're doing such fine things there. Send it home and I'll see it put to good use."

"You flatter me mother, I'll have it in your hands as soon as possible." He said. The woman narrowed her black eyes.

"Bring it personally my dear…I've not held my darling son in many long months now, you can implant it personally in your choice of subjects." She crooned. He smiled "With pleasure my Queen."

When the lacrima went dark he smiled at Dain who was grinning "Pack your things Dain, We are taking a brief vacation it would seem." Nuryev said brightly, pushing on a com button he turned toward the microphone "Send someone to clean up the husky from the latest donor in lab 4 please. Have it incinerated." He said blandly, fingering the case with a smile.

"Right away Doctor Nuryev." Came the answer and as Nuryev and Dain were leaving the room, Nuryev carrying the case, two Rune Knights went into the room to remove the "husk" body and carry it to the incinerator.

xoxoxoxoxxoxoxoxoxoxoxxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Bickslow came to the house just after the sun had set and Wendy had been waiting. Lucy, Levy, Mira and Cana all looked up when the knock sounded at the door. They had spent the day with Wendy, keeping her busy so her nerves didn't get to her too badly.

Lucy had told her how her whole process with Cobra had been, all of them had talked about their first times, Levy had even shared how receiving the second bite from Gajeel had gone the night before. The script mage was serene, the second bite sealed Gajeel and her into completing the process.

Levy had to admit, Gajeel hadn't put it off or tried to delay it either, as soon as he'd felt she was ready, she'd been carried to their bedroom and he'd given her a night to remember, though he'd vowed the third bite would be the one she'd remember best, Lucy had promised her he was right too.

Cana opened the door and Bickslow smiled, stepping inside "Ladies, hope you're rested Cupcake…you ready?" He asked, looking past Cana at Wendy where she sat in the livingroom.

Wendy stood, biting her lip. This was it, she was going to Cristoff, they would mate if he could subdue her. He was so strong she didn't doubt he could, but she was still frightened, the two of them had barely kissed, she'd never really touched him much, just that one time in the bed while he was sleeping the morning after they got back from Hargeon.

That was barely two weeks ago.

Charle remained seated on the couch, tears in her eyes and Levy picked the exceed up and cuddled her, Pantherlily scooting closer.

"You go tame your dragon girlie, then come back and tell me every sordid detail!" Cana grinned.

Lucy hugged her "You'll be fine Wendy, Cristoff is strong, and very skilled, he wont hurt you and he wont let you hurt him." Lucy said reassuringly.

"I almost wish you guys could come…" She whispered.

Cana cackled "I'm lewd honey but even I don't want to watch your first time. No, you go get you some."

Wendy rolled her eyes and followed Bickslow outside. His totems came down and formed a platform and he scooped her up. "You sure you're wanting to do this in a dress cupcake?" He asked.

She smiled "I'm sure Bicks…lets go."

She'd chosen the dress because it was one of her favorites, a deep green with blue piping, and even though it was probably going to be ruined, she liked the idea of wearing it for this. In a way, it was like a wedding dress.

Levy had said that when she'd picked it out and Charle had burst into tears.

Charle had been a bigger wreck than Wendy. It had taken the Exceed hours to settle down and sleep and ultimately, the only way Wendy had been able to was to go down to Cristoffs room and sleep in his bed, wrapped in his scent, her dragon was obsessed, restless, unhappy he wasn't close by.

The wind blew over them as Bickslow flew her from Magnolia out toward the forest. She smiled, the moon was rising, and she could smell the night. Every part of it made her think of him, and it made her smile, feel calm, happy.

However this went, she trusted him. He'd been at her side, helping her, fighting for her, even against his own brother at times for more than a year, he'd even fought her to protect her from herself a few times too.

She wanted him, needed him, and now was finally their time.

Bickslow took her down into a small hidden area tucked in on three sides by low hills. He hugged her first before letting her down. "See ya soon cupcake." He smiled and the totems took him up and away from her.

She closed her eyes, smiling…time to hunt her dragon down.

She headed inward to toward the center of the area and smiled, catching his scent, he wasn't hiding it, he wasn't hiding himself either. Rounding a larger rock she stopped. He stood on another boulder about 60 feet away from her.

The leather armor, it must have been fixed? Maybe he had spare pieces. God he looked amazing in snug leather, she narrowed her eyes, this was blue, dark blue not his usual black.

"I'm going to claim you Wendy." He called to her and she shuddered, instantly, with no more from him the dragon in her shot up, rose like a massive wave and tore Wendys control away. She felt her magic building, felt a spell preparing as her eyes narrowed, her hair blew around her and she was shocked to see it already going pink…dragonforce…already?!

Cristoff though changed too, his eyes flashed to silver, glowing, she saw the dark scales cover his hands, the expanse of bare skin from his elbow to the top of his shoulders, silver claws glinted in the moonlight that suddenly seemed to be flowing around him.

Cristoff hadn't ever seen Wendys dragonforce but he knew that power up when he saw it happening. He could pull his own at will, throttle it, use parts of it, he doubted Wendy had that kind of control over it yet.

So when she hurled her first spell he dodged it and let it impact the rock behind him curious to see what it did.

That it shattered rock and tore into the hill about 20 feet left no doubt about whether or not her dragon had taken over.

He drew a breath. She'd only seen him fight using a very limited portion of his arsenal and he'd been deliberate with that since he'd figured out this moment would come on day and the less she knew about what he could do, the better.

He couldn't run, the game here was dominate and subdue, if he backed down at all, her dragon would lose respect for him, and he couldn't afford that. Drawing a breath he opened a hand "Moonwell" he whispered, trying to keep his thoughts together as her growl and scent both hit him. Arousal, pure female dragon arousal, lust, it washed over him as the spell turned the ground beneath her in a huge circle into luminescent silvery water and she sank to her waist in it with a startled cry and angry snarl.

She hurled a wing attack at him and he dodged it "Full Moons light." He said, a pillar of light slammed down over the well and Wendy covered her eyes with her arms, blinded by it as it gleamed off the silvery water she stood it.

"Lunar…shift"

He appeared behind her and got his arms around her, or thought he was, she shifted though, and far faster than he expected she twisted and hit him hard with a roar at point black range.

He was knocked back, lifted into the air and crashed through a couple of trees, snapping them like twigs as the force of the spell gave his heavy body tremendous speed through the air.

He hit the ground hard, snarling as pain lanced through him from several places. Hissing he left his magic build as he watched Wendy starting to try and find her way out of the blinding water. "Silver cage" he called, the edged of the moonwell shot up the silver water, it arched back and forth from all around forming a woven domed cage over the moonwell.

Sitting up he swept glowing hands over the worst of his injuries, the healing was swift and sloppy but it restored his ability to move and gave him back the use of both arms and his physical strength.

A roar blasted from the moonwell, Wendy must have found the bars of the cage.

"You will not contain me!" She roared, a wing attack hitting the bars and passing through them but they reformed after it passed.

He waited, watching, letting his eyes use his magic, filter the light until her could see her clearly, biting one of the bars furiously and he smiled.

His whole body was charged by the smell of her, the dragon in him was ready, had it not charged in so fast he could have sealed this trap and hit his own flexible bars and spared himself hitting those damn trees but his dragon was too eager, had been denied too long.

The leather pants were already too tight…watching her blasting away at the cage, roaring, snarling, every bit the enraged caged dragon, he was almost shaking with the need to reach her.

He let it build until he was going a little mad with it, until his dragon was so enraged it felt ready to burst out of him. Then he drew a breath "Lunar…shift" and he was in the cage with her, his dragon grabbed her so fast he almost couldn't think as swift as it moved, she was yanked back to him, the custom leather he wore he'd had made for this fight, for a fight against her, against wind. One pull of the front clasp and the pants fell open as he grabbed her, lifted her, one arm hooked under one of her legs the other shoving her dress up, long silver talons slicing through blue panties as they passed.

He wanted to be easy on her but his dragon knew better and gave her nothing, gave her dragon no time, he wasn't a small man and clenched his teeth together as he rammed himself into her slender body and heard her roar out then gasp and shudder in his hold.

He rested his head on her shoulder as she slowly relaxed in his arms and he sank down, letting the moonwell wash over her and him as well, it was a healing well, the pure waters took away poisons, toxins, impurities and soothed pain, bathed in the pure light of a full moon it was very powerful.

He started moving, driving into her, his dragon wouldn't allow him to give her time. The cage fell, dispelled by a thought and he laid her over the edge of the moonwell, her hands immediately grasping at the grass and digging into it as her hairs ends turned blue, that the rest remained pink made his dragon drive harder into her body until she was gasping with every thrust and Cristoffs own breaths were getting short.

She was so incredibly tight around him, the heat of her, he held her hips, pulling her back into every thrust until he felt her coming undone and leaned over her, reaching around between her legs, making her breath hitch in her throat as he teased the bundle of nerves there and nuzzled his mouth through her hair to her neck, he kissed her, lips hovering, fangs lengthening almost painfully as he ground them together, hammering into her so much harder than he wanted to but she just moaned, gasped, bowed her back so she could reach back over her shoulders and touch his face.

Then she came, and his fangs sank into her, her blood flowing over his tongue and his own body joining her in a powerful release.

Alignment, the bonding, were she not a slayer, would have taken at least two weeks and three bites from him, but between two dragon slayers, she had to bear the flood of his magic all at once.

But she'd been using it, dipping into it, handling it for a year now.

Their hearts synced, he expected more, but as he sank to the grass beside her she moved swiftly, shoving him onto his back. She smiled down at him, pink eyes narrowing "Oh my Dragon…I will have you, claim you, make you mine as thoroughly as you have made me yours…and remind you no woman but me is ever to have you…I will brand that into you here and now." She growled and his dragon all but abandoned him, rolled over to allow her domination of him.

The air was driven from him as she climbed onto his body and took him. That she felt incredible, that his body reacted, responded powerfully to her wasn't a question, but as she thrust herself down over her, driving the air from him, slamming him down so hard into the grass it hurt should have alarmed him.

When he reached for her after her first few thrusts a taloned hand grabbed his forearm and slammed his arm to the ground so hard she broke it, he felt the bone give and threw his head back, grunting in pain with every thrust from her on top of him.

She gripped him, raking talons down his chest, shredding the soft leather and he felt blood flow, saw her smile. In spite of the pain he was aching, painfully hard inside of her and when she came, throwing her head back and tossing her hair he couldn't follow, she felt incredible, and his body desperately wanted that release, but he stayed, right at the edge. When he thrust up into her she slammed him back down and he felt his hip give, felt the ribs under her hands fracture, pain lancing through him and he bared his teeth at her.

"Oh, my dragon, am I too much for you? Would you prefer some weak little women you might pick up on a train? In a tavern? Maybe some at the Beach? Answer me…tell me you belong to me." She demanded, rotating her hips. He hissed, her motion shooting both pleasure and searing pain through him.

"I…belong…to you." He managed, hissing through his teeth, lifting his head to meet her laughing gaze.

She was punishing him, giving him pain and pleasure for the women he'd taken over the last year. He'd known she might. Just hadn't known how far she would go, how far her dragon would make her go. Her eyes were still pink, her hair still mostly so as well. Her dragon wasn't done.

He smiled, narrowing his eyes, he could take it, whatever she chose to dish out, he could endure. She was worth it, this was all worth it and his dragon puffed up inside of him, he was strong enough for this woman.

"It's not too much is it? You aren't going to pass out? Give up?" She challenged in a purr, rolling her hips, grinding against him. He smiled back at her.

"Anything, anything you do I can take…you're mine…I can handle you making me yours…" His voice was strained, pain putting an edge into it he couldn't hide, and yes, there were black spots clouding his vision but he knew he could take more if she chose to dish it out further. Whatever she and the dragon soul inside her needed to take from him, show him, he could endure it.

She ran soft hands over him then and he felt it, healing, her magic closing the bleeding claw marks on his chest, mending the fractured ribs. Repairing the damage to his hip. "You can't cum until I bite you." She said softly, moving her body over him in a rhythm that had his teeth gritting, his good hand clenching the grass.

"I'll have just a little more fun, your body is mine, you are mine, let's make sure you remember that…" She hummed, hips rolling, she slid her hands over his chest and started again to use his body and he could do nothing but let her, submission, letting himself be taken, was his best way to show her his dedication, loyalty, all he was, belonged to her now.

She took another climax, riding him mercilessly gasping on top of him, feeling her enjoy the waves of pleasure, her inner walls clamping down over him was absolute torture.

Then, her hand slid over his hip, she'd pulled and then took up another painful pace, with hard thrusts that again had him gasping. He felt ready to burst, he was in mind numbing pain, there were shreds of pleasure but mostly just pain now until she came again and lunged down, sinking long fangs into his neck and his body arched up into hers, releasing as she drank down his blood.

He'd never come so hard in his entire life, he couldn't even breath through it, after the first few waves the pain eased and the pleasure returned, leaving him exhausted, he felt Wendy on top of him, laying on him, her body wracked with deep gasping breaths.

It took a few minutes, his heart rate steadied and he shifted, pain lancing through im from the arm that was still broken. It was a clean break, he could fix it, mend it, he sure as hell wasn't going to let it interrupt this night with Wendy.

Reaching he pushed a heavy flow of his own magic through his arm, the process drawing Wendys attention and she frowned, pushing herself up on his chest and blinking a couple of times before her eyes flew wide and she realized what was happening.

"I…" She whispered, her hand toughing his arm, feeling the bone knitting she pushed her own magic in with his to speed the process even more.

"Broke it…clean break though…not as bad as the ribs…" he chuckled. She bit her lip and he drew a breath, letting his magic ebb so she could finish with his arm.

"I…I didn't want to hurt you…" She breathed and turned bright eyes on him. He smiled, pulling her face down so he could kiss her. Oh…he could kiss her now, all the ways he had wanted to for so long…

He'd meant to just brush their lips together, wanted to tell her he knew a point had to be made between them, an assertion her dragon wanted firmly in place. He respected that, wasn't upset about any of it, but instead of talking, he'd just show her, because he had so very much of himself he'd been unable to share with her, a years worth of desire to show her he'd had, still had, all he felt for her that he'd been unable to even hint at.

He sat up, pulled away reluctantly. "I have so much I want to tell you, show you…so fucking much I couldn't even hint at before…" He kissed her again. They were still mostly clothed, his vest was ruined, shredded by her claws, but his pants were still on, just down his thighs a little ways and her dress was still on, even her bra.

He lifted her from him and she frowned a little but when he stood he pulled her into his arms lifting her off the ground and kissing her. He reached down, secured his pants while his lips moved over hers and smiled as he closed both arms around her, reveling in being able to let go, be himself again.

More than that, so much more really, because he was more now, he was hers, she was his. Her dainty hands were in his hair, her tongue timidly moving against his and he growled, he wouldn't let her be timid anymore, he wanted all of her fire, he knew it was there. It had been painful her uncertainty around him the last month even though she knew he wanted her, his lack of reactions kept her doubting and there had been nothing he could do.

He felt her smile, growled again when she pressed harder into the kiss and a little growl of her own came up sending a surge of desire through him that made him moan.

"I'm taking us home. We've mated, pleased our dragons…now…I'm going to please you." He growled and she giggled, making him smile as he drew in his magic, built it, whispered against her neck to trigger the spell and the next moment they were in the back yard of the house on Park Street.

"Outside?" She asked, looking around smiling.

"I can only go where the moon shines, love." He reached and opened the sliding back door he'd told Bickslow to make sure was unlocked and vowed to thank his brother later for all of his help.

He carried her inside, set her on her feet and closed and locked the door before catching her as she was starting to move away he pulled her back to him, to another kiss that took her breath away.

"I wanted to rinse off all of this…" she breathed when he released her mouth.

She pulled some grass from her hair and he smiled "I'll be so happy to help…" he smirked and she smiled, eyes darkening, they were back to their deep brown again, her hair back to its usual blue.

She reached out, trying to undo clasps and frowning at his ruined vest. He smiled "You've got impressive claws." He chuckled.

"I hurt you…" She whispered.

"I expected nothing less. That's done, now move, I want to see you naked…" He rumbled and she laughed, giving him a wicked smirk "I am so eager to see you naked too…" She admitted.

She really was too, a year around the man, seeing hints of the body she had just so mercilessly taken out in the forest, and even though she now knew what one part of him felt like inside of her…she'd seen nothing. She really, badly wanted to.

He grinned, herding her into the bathroom, pulling her dress off of her, sliding a sharp talon under the back strap of her bra and slicing it away as she shrieked and tried to save it from him to no avail.

He shrugged off the shredded vest, smiling when she stopped backing away from him so she could yank the clasp free on his pants. He'd had the whole set made for tonight, so the pants would come free easily for him yet still offer protection against wind based spells. The set had saved him from her point blank roar.

She pushed them down his legs and stepped back, eyes sliding over him in amazement, feasting on him like his did on her.

Where her skin was porcelain, his was a rick sunkissed tan from genetics, she had soft, generous curves, he was hard angles, bulging muscle. Her skin flawless, the pure silky expanse of it broken only by the dark blue dragon that curled around her hip .

She reached out, running a hand down the expanse of intricate clan symbols that ran down his right side, lingering on the snarling wolf on his hip. His skin was smooth, warm under her fingers, the muscle hard beneath it.

He drew in a deeper breath when her hand drifted from his hip, moving over what had given her so very much pleasure a short time ago, already hardening, thick, her fingers didn't reach around it when she grasped him and smiled when he growled.

There really was nothing small about her mate.

She grinned, her mate, it sounded so good even just in her head, Cristoff belonged to her now, she could…feel him. His presence, his growing desire, pleasure at her touch as she slid her hand over his erection, she felt it…shared it.

She stepped back into the shower and he followed her, reaching to turn on the water, it heated quickly but she wasn't paying attention to it, Wendy was newly mated, exploring a mans body for the first time in her life and every inch of him amazed her.

He stood for her, though he tilted his head back and moaned, growled, started breathing harder as she circled him, took up the bar of soap on the shelf and started washing away the dirt and grass from his skin, frowning but then focusing as she found the bruises she'd left on his hips, his chest, she could wipe them away with her magic, and did.

He caught her when he knew she was starting to repeat motions, taking the soap from her and washing her body, keeping his eyes on hers while he touched her, washed blood from her thighs and frowned when he did, she was a Dragon Slayer, her body far more durable than a normal woman, but he regretted her virginity had been taken so harshly.

He would make it up to her.

Hair washed, bodies clean he shut off the shower and they helped each other dry off, it degenerated quickly though, turning into a laughing wrestling match Wendy had no hope of winning but she started it anyway, throwing a towel over his head and jumping on him trying to drag him to the floor.

He managed to get them into the bedroom and they fell on the bed, wrestling until the towels had been flung aside and he'd caught her laughing mouth with his and kissed her still.

He looked down at her, smiling, trailing kisses over her jaw to her neck. "You've experienced dragon lust driven fucking so we could mate…now…I'm going to make love to you, mei'sen…and show you how good gentle can feel…"


	21. Chapter 21 Missing

Wendy grinned, looking over her cup, she felt silly, couldn't stop smiling, couldn't tear her eyes off of Cristoff either, but he didn't mind, he encouraged every bit of her play, curiosity, even the wicked little things she shyly would whisper to him he never once made fun of.

Their first night had been like a dream, mated, that had been at a level of violence typical for dragons, but once it was done, their bond created, the rest of the night in the bed that was now theirs, in the house that was theirs, had been incredible.

Wendy had screamed herself hoarse, by the time she had fallen asleep she'd been just boneless with exhaustion but it had been wonderful exhaustion.

She felt like a woman, and more than that, a woman in love, loved, mated to a man who, she was fast learning, was incredibly affectionate. He laughed easily, loved touching her, holding her, kissing her, telling her she was beautiful, called her sweet things in Boscan and making certain that as they indulged in each other over and over that he took his time, gave her guidance, enough she was able to reduce him to a panting mess more than once.

It made her feel amazing.

When she wanted more attention, he stopped what he was doing and lavished her with it too. They managed to dress, walk hand in hand to a café for a (very) late breakfast before going back home and stripping each others clothes off again, not making it the the bedroom before he was on her, inside of her, drawing wanton moans and eager growls from her.

The prowess her dragon had wanted only for her, really was all hers now. So she sat in a kitchen chair in his t-shirt, him across from her in just his boxer briefs, her drinking some tea, him with his coffee.

"Do you think Charle will show up?" She asked, it wasn't like her exceed to stay away from her for long.

"No, she's with Bickslow, and Bix was going to keep her busy so we had privacy today, we just mated, love. If I had my way, and things weren't so rough right now, you and I would take the next month off to be alone together. My family owns a very nice home overlooking the channel, I want to take you there…show you Bosco, the Grass Sea, enjoy your company, I've spent the last year having to stay cold toward you when that is just about the opposite of who I really am…" She moved faster than he did, put her cup down and rounding the table to climb into his arms.

"I know why you did those things, I understand it all now." She thread her fingers through his hair, she loved doing it, knew it was something she would become addicted to quickly, playing with his soft black hair.

He smiled reaching up and she eagerly met his kiss, losing herself in it quickly. It was another thing, his kisses had been something that had gotten to her before, made her thoughts stutter, but now, now when he kissed her his lips moved more, he would growl softly, suck at her lower lip, graze his teeth over it, now when he kissed her every single time all she wanted was to get him back to bed, have him attend to the instant burning need he created.

His touches were so bold too, his fingers always finding the perfect spot to massage her flesh, he knew how to hold her so their bodies just molded together perfectly and he'd never done any of it before now.

"Mei'sen" He breathed against her lips, she was kissing him, his jaw, his neck, running her own fangs over his warm skin and smiled.

"What does that mean?" She asked.

"Mmm, Boscan….in common….mmm" He was thoroughly distracted, and Wendy was lightheaded from the feeling of power she held, that she, little Wendy, the one most of the guild still tried to see as a child half the time, could make this powerful man just fall apart and struggle to think…she loved it.

She sucked at the base of his neck, "In common it means what?" She prompted, smiling and enjoying herself, loving how he was starting to get restless in the chair, had grabbed her butt and his fingers were digging into the flesh there, pulling her forward so she had to spread her legs and settle firmly against his hips, he was hard, she felt it, firm against the inside of her thigh.

She had done that, just like he totally melted her, she'd just reduced the Lunar Dragon Slayer to a hard breathing, writhing mess. The same man who had drilled her in magic, pushed her so hard, teased her, tormented her at times. Now she had control.

"..in common it is…my heart…it is how Boscans say I love you. "Almien Mei'Sen" is the whole thing, I Love you who are my heart." He whispered.

Wendy pulled back and looked down at him, the adoration in the dark blue eyes of her mate was unmistakable and she whimpered, lunging down to kiss him feverishly. "I love you too." She said against his mouth, reaching down, pulling hard on the waistband of the briefs until his erection was freed and she was grasping him, so eager to have him her hand was shaking.

He gasped, and steadied her when he realized her goal, moving her hand away and moving himself, grasping her hips and pulling her down so she settled over him. The feeling she really couldn't get enough of, his body filling hers, she arched her back, grasping the back of the chair behind him for leverage and started moving eagerly.

He steadied her, pulled her down into his own upward thrusts, met her hungry kisses then smiled, easing his head back "Something…you…need to…learn…" He breathed out, pulling one hand from her hips he reached up and ran a finger over the mark she had made on his neck.

As soon as he touched it pleasure roared through her body and his hand shot back to her hip so he could keep her from falling from his lap. He was smiling when she opened her eyes again, she blinked, then smiled resuming her movements on him as she reached a finger up to the mark he'd made on her.

His eyes narrowed and when she swirled her finger on the mark on her neck his eyes shut and he shuddered, hands tightening on her, his next thrust harder.

It was getting harder to focus, riding him while he was in a chair hadn't been her plan but it sure was working out really well.

Cristoff was struggling for any control, more and more Wendys confidence was building, the woman was eager to learn, and nearly insatiable, all in all, a typical dragon slayer.

He leaned forward, and she tilted her head back, holding tight to the back of the chair as his lips slid over her neck "Then there's….ngh….God you feel good….now…this…is nice too…" He managed to get out right before his lips closed over the mark he'd made on her neck, his tongue sliding over it and she stiffened on top of him, thrown immediately over the edge, the bond took him with her too and he growled against her neck, pressing himself against her as he body worked his, taking everything he had.

He chuckled breathlessly against her neck, panting "So…don't…touch that…mark…unless you want me…tearing your clothes off shortly after." He smiled, and his lips played against her heated skin as she clung to him and tried to catch her breath.

"Good to know." She replied, pulling back to smile at him.

A steaming bath together…which resulted in a lot more play, followed by them watching a movie curled up under a blanket, then, not watching it and ending up naked and needing another bath led into cooking dinner together…which also devolved into him sitting her on the counter and fucking her until she screamed and dinner getting burnt because they were…well…distracted.

So they showered, another long drawn out process, managed to get clothes on and go out to eat. Even though they had barely slept at all the night before they still didn't actually sleep until far into the night when exhaustion finally forced them both to curl up together and sleep.

It had been one of the happiest days of Wendys life. She had her mate, he treated her like a Queen, and even if another undead dragon were dropped somewhere, she knew they would be with their guild and would fight together.

They slept late, and decided to get a late breakfast at the guild, Bickslow and Charle would be there and they needed to thank him, and bring Charle back home where she belonged, and, let the guild know.

They were walking hand in hand, discussing moving Wendys things down into the master bedroom and how Charle might decide to decorate her room as the Guild came into view.

Wendys smile fell as she saw Gajeel and Levy hurrying toward it ahead of them and Max and Wakaba both running to the doors and rushing inside, they looked upset, she could tell Gajeel was and considering he and Levy were probably just a day or two away from sealing their union with the third bite, the Iron Slayer shouldn't be looking so grim.

"Gajeel!" Wendy called.

Xoxoxoxoxoxooxxooxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxxoxoxo

It had started out as a really good day, Gajeel had been slowly pulled out of sleep by tantalizing sensations and the smell of books and honey. Then his body had kicked into overdrive as the sensations had gotten stronger until finally, writhing and letting out a moan he couldn't prevent he'd opened his eyes to find Levy had thrown the blankets aside and was laying between his legs sucking on his erection like it was her favorite candy.

"Fu….Fuck!" He'd managed as her hazel eyes met his and a wicked smile curved the lips wrapped around him. Her tongue had then drug firmly over the head of him and he'd shuddered, gripping to blankets and throwing his head back.

Her hands worked all of him her mouth didn't and the Iron Dragon Slayer was helpless under the little script mage, completely at the womans mercy as her pretty eyes stayed on his face, her pink lips pressed into him, her tongue drove him wild.

"Le…Levy…I'm gonna…" He warned her as she increased her pace. She hummed and the vibration made him hiss through his teeth.

She watched him, eyes warm and wicked until finally he came undone, he lay back, breathing hard for a moment, groaning as she licked him clean. Gods above what had he ever done to deserve her?

He was reaching for her, fully intending to return pleasure for pleasure when Lily called for them.

Knowing Lily could not help but know he and Levy were busy, Gajeel frowned, the exceed had been pushing Gajeel to be more affectionate, to give Levy more of his time and attention since well before the first mission down to Hargeon, he wouldn't interrupt them unless it was important.

"Shit…" He growled and Levy giggled at his frustrated expression. He smirked in spite of himself as he slid from the bed, grabbing her by an ankle and pulling her squeaking across the bed to where he could scoop her up and kiss her.

He grabbed out some boxers while Levy wobbled a little to the bathroom. As soon as Gajeel opened the door Lily was looking at him. "Master Makarov has called everyone into the guild." He said. Gajeel cursed again.

"Fuck, can't be good news. Ok, we'll be there as soon as we can." He turned, grabbing out a shirt and pants and dressing quickly, Levy emerged from the bathroom in a soft yellow dress. She'd heard Lily.

So many things ran through their minds as they rushed to the guild, there was too much happening, the increase in Rune Knights in Magnolia had been ended, the men were needed elsewhere everyone was told, some of their own guardsmen who weren't even part of the Knights had found themselves drafted too.

The country was in such a state of tension, these were dark days the last couple of months. Gajeel had never been more grateful for his family in Fairy Tail and the woman at his side.

"Gajeel!" He snapped his head around, almost wincing when he saw Wendy. His beloved kin hadn't ever looked happier, she positively glowed with it, he could sense it too, beyond just how close the young woman was walking beside the Lunar Slayer and that the couple was holding hands like he was holding Levys, when they got closer he saw it, the mark on her neck.

Already darkening too, that didn't surprise him considering Cristoff was her mate. He was surprised how it made him feel relieved to know the couple had sealed their bond, that Wendy had Cristoff now as more than a teacher and guildmate, she had a strong, powerful mate who would protect her and watch over her, like he would Levy.

He really should have made Levy his mate a while ago.

It surprised him too sensing more from Cristoff…well…the man had mated with his kin, apparently, the Dragon magic that bound him to Wendy, extended into her mate when she took one. Gajeel wasn't really unhappy about that either.

It pained him some knowing his kin, and his own soon to be mate, wouldn't get much time to enjoy their new status before they were facing what was happening in their country.

"I need to stay toward the back with Levy…Salamanders pretty good about not pissing others off during the process, he picked it up with Cobra and Lucy, but I aint taking chances." Gajeel told the couple when they caught up.

Wendy frowned "What do you mean? Why is everyone running into the guild?" She asked.

Gajeel frowned "Master called an emergency meeting brat…somethings up." He replied.

Wendy exchanged a glance with Cristoff and the two couples hurried inside.

Fortunately, Makarov was standing on the bar, so by entering through the door at the other end of the hall they were in the back and with Cobra and Lucy there on one side, Wendy and Cristoff on the other, Gajeel was neatly tucked between two mated pairs and his dragon wasn't any more irritated than it would have been anywhere else being outside while their final mark hadn't been set yet.

Gajeel and Cristoff both did as Cobra already had and sat on the table by him and Lucy. Just like Lucy Wendy settled in Cristoffs lap while Levy, who had started to sit on the bench in front of Gajeel found herself pulled possessively into his lap, she smiled though, grateful of the large arms encircling her.

Makarovs grim expression confirmed he didn't have happy news.

"You all know there are people still missing from Hargeons battle. Lamia Scale has come asking us for help, one of their members, Sherria Blendy, disappeared during the battle. This is her boyfriend, Heath." Makarov held a hand out toward a young man with thick golden hair and dark brown eyes.

"She…she was taken, something grabbed her, we were fighting near the market district, she was just a few feet to my right when all of a sudden she was lifted into the air. I couldn't see what had her but she was screaming like she was in pain and then…she disappeared." He shoved a hand through his hair, looking over the assembled mages before him desperately.

"We've searched, she wasn't the only one taken, a water mage named Risa was also taken, disappeared the same way just a few moments after Sherria did. The Rune Knights, the council, we've informaed them but they don't seem to be doing much. We've been all over Hargeon, swept it carefully, we have mages that are excellent trackers, but we found nothing, no clue, no trace. So I finally got our Master to allow me to ask other guilds for help."

He looked over them again "Please, we…we were going to marry this spring, I know she had friends in your guild, she talked about you all, especially Wendy…we need help finding her and Risa."

"Fairy Tail will help my boy, you may tell your master we will mobilize immediately and join your search." Makarov promised, then looked out over his guild "You heard it brats! We've been called to help find missing comrades, Lamia Scale has been there to help us when we've called, now it's our turn to answer their call! Mira and Laxus will be organizing this and have all of the information Lamia Scale could provide, speak with them before you leave." Makarov called and everyone started talking, teams gathering, leads from teams going to Laxus and Mira.

Heath leaned to Makarov once more and said something and Makarov pointed toward Wendy who the young man headed toward immediately.

Wendy slid from Cristoffs lap as he approached and she felt her mate come stand behind her as Heath stopped and smiled weakly at her. He looked haggard, it was easy to see he was handsome, normally was probably breathtaking, but worry along with a lack of sleep and frantic searching had taken its toll.

"You're Wendy? I'm Heath, I'm sorry we're meeting like this…Sherria thinks so highly of you…." He said.

Wendy hugged him, it was an instant thing, she felt pain, anguish, and she needed to help any way she could, Gajeel knew this was Wendy, but looked at Cristoff, he knew when Levy suddenly hugged men, even harmless things like Jet and Droy it still set his teeth on edge.

Cristoff looked calm though, standing passively behind her, allowing the contact between his new mate and an unattached male. This one though was clearly no threat, even Gajeel in his heightened state of protectiveness felt only pity for the man, though if Levy were to hug him…well, he counted himself lucky Levy wasn't a big hugger like Wendy, Cristoff would have to adjust to that.

"She is a good friend, we'll help, all of us will." She promised the man. He nodded, looking up, pulling back, recognition crossed his eyes when they fell on Gajeel, he was hard to miss and easy to recognize, his eyes moved over the others, he recognized Lucy, and almost recoiled when he recognized the man holding the celestial mage.

"Co…Cobra…right?" He asked.

Cobra nodded, frowning slightly, he couldn't help the mans reaction, apparently the young man had been involved in all the fighting at the infinity clock, and had also run into him at Dawn City, which almost made Cobra wince, yeah…that had been an ugly stint…mating season…Cobra hadn't been pleasant.

The young man had some ugly memories involving him.

"He's with Fairy Tail now, Heath right? I'm Lucy, I met Sherria at the Games too, it's been a few years, we'll all be helping search for her." Lucy held out her hand and Heath took it, "I know Gajeel is a Dragon Slayer, Cobra, Wendy…" He looked around them.

"Like I said, our best trackers have been looking but nothing, I was hoping…well…Dragon Slayers are legendary for their hunting abilities." Heath said.

"You got that right." Gajeel replied.

"You'll have all 6 of Fairy Tails Dragon Slayers on this." Laxus said, coming over with Natsu.

Heath got a glimmer of hope on his face.

"Next train down to that area is in an hour so pack up everyone and get to the train station." He barked and everyone moved.

Cobra was quiet and Lucy knew why, looking over at him, he couldn't hide his moods from her anymore, he'd recently stopping even trying to deny them when she caught them.

"You're a different person now, and have a chance here to show everyone that." She said quietly.

He cast a sideways look at her. "I don't give a shit what people think about me Tink, I just don't like them doubting my abilities because of it."

"It goes hand in hand, it's been a few days, do you think you'll be able to get anything this long after the fact?" That was her concern, Lamia Scale waiting this long to ask for help might have ruined their chances.

Cobra shrugged as they walked into their home and collected their packs, Lucy checking them over before handing them off to Virgo so they could head for the train station.

"It wouldn't be the first time I've taken up a cold trail, so it's possible, I guess it depends on what all has already been done in the area, I know they're hurrying up with rebuilding, so if they've already started clearing that area they may have cleared anything we could have found." Cobra told her.

She nodded, grasping his hand and he smiled faintly in spite of himself feeling her fingers tight around his.

A year now, more than that, they had been together for more than a year. It still felt very…new to him anyway.

Lucy had settled right in, taking her place in his life like she snuggled into the overstuffed dusty rose colored chair she'd HAD to have that sat in the "reading nook" of their home. They were buying the cottage three doors down from Freeds house. The Rune mage had told them when the owners put it up for sale not long after they had mated and Lucy had practically skipped down the road to look at it.

It was a story book looking home, like all of the unique little houses on Fairybrook Lane near the guild. Three bedrooms, two baths, the bottom half was river rock the top white washed stucco with dark wood trim. It had two fireplaces, a steepled roof wood floors and what had sold Lucy, the right side front of the house was circular with tall windows that went up like a battlement on a castle.

Add in a fenced front yard with a garden of flowers, a fenced back yard with a little pond full of goldfish and that was it, Lucy had to have it.

Which had meant, come hell or high water, Cobra was going to get it for her. He'd been able to, he'd been saving plenty working with the Raijinshuu and living with Bickslow so with a good down payment they'd bought the cottage and were paying less a month mortage than Lucys rent had been on Strawberry Street. Something she'd paid well ahead too with the money she'd earned at the club, which had worked out well, Cana had been thrilled to claim the apartment.

Cobra slid into a seat across from Bickslow and Laxus, Laxus was engrossed in thoughts about what had happened in Hargeon, like most everyone in the guild had been for the last couple of weeks.

Trying to think of what the hell might have happened to the two Lamia Scale mages and alternating between worrying about that and wondering if whatever it was might still be in the area. It must have been associated somehow with Motherglare being there.

What they would have given to have been able to go over the vanquished undead dragons corpse and try to see what had animated it in the first place, but the council had jumped on it too fast, far faster than they had reacted to its presence in the first place, seeming to almost wait until the thing was defeated before they acted.

It left a very bad taste in Cobras mouth, smacked of a test, which was what many of their guildmates believed it had been, some sort of test, not the random attack by dark mages the council said it was in the statement they released.

It felt all wrong, then the mages disappearing, seemingly taken during the chaos the dragon had caused?

Cobra knew how dark guilds worked, how the darkest minds sorted out plans, and this felt that way to him. That the council seemed involved on some level was more than alarming, it had him thinking maybe he needed to take Lucy somewhere far from Fiore and all that seemed to be brewing.

He and Gajeel had both been sent a few times the last year to tap into darker channels they still had, Cobra was facing another mission like that soon, was due to leave for Dawn City in another week to make contact with a very nasty, very dark exotic beast broker, a hunter who specialized in rare creatures that were illegal to hunt.

Lucy was coming with him, which he wasn't entirely happy about but Makarov had insisted Cobra have back up and anything he recovered could be secured by Lucys spirits better than any other way.

The mission was primarily to get information on Dragon eggs, the man claimed to know how to handle them, but Cobra meant to also find out about the re-animated dragon, see if the man knew anything about trade in dragons. If anyone did, it would be the hunter he was going to see.

When they reached the hill overlooking Hargeon and began the decent into the city everyone became quiet. The Hargeon train station had been cleaned up and while it was nothing but a platform now, the building completely leveled and the rubble cleared away, at least there was access.

The city looked…dead.

Clean up efforts had begun at the train station and had not reached the market area where Sherria and Risa had been taken, so they were able to pick their way to the area and Lucys hand clamped firmer on Cobras as they worked their way there with everyone else.

She kept glancing over at Wendy, who she knew had to be very upset, Sherria and Wendy were very good friends, had taken vacations together, visited each other and maintained a strong friendship since the games. When the guild had shut down after Tartaros Wendy had gone to Lamia Scale, lived with Sherria, they had been very close.

Cristoff was right with her, and the young womans eyes were set in a worried but determined expression as she walked alongside her mate and Sherrias boyfriend/fiancé. The newly mated couple had only had a single day of peace together before this had come up, Lucy knew the feeling, she and Cobra hadn't exactly had a lot of time to be alone or relax and enjoy each other when they had mated.

Still, they had worked side by side for more than a year, built up trust and confidence in each other, and Cristoff seemed to be pretty intuitive about Wendys needs, he certainly had stood up for what she needed, what could help her to grow over the last year and a half.

Lucy was ready to run over to the younger woman if she looked like she needed her, but honestly, she was shaky herself. With a mission coming up with Cobra to go and visit one of his contacts from his days with the Oracion Seis and everything they had been through in the last year…she was a little emotionally fragile.

She felt Cobras fingers tighten on hers and she smiled weakly over at him, there was no hiding the sense of foreboding she had from him, he read her like a damn book between his soul reading and their bond.

"Yep, I do, and you can breathe Tinkerbell, I'm not sensing anything around but work crews and our own people, none of the…dark shit that was here when that Dragon was." He helped her get over a chunk of cement and Heath stopped, looking around "We were here when it happened." He said.

The dragon slayers fanned out, so did Cana, Bickslow, Bisca and Alzack, everyone who could track, see, sense things at a high level had come.

On a whim, Cobra headed toward the docks, Lucy seeing it and falling in behind him, they managed to get a couple of blocks away but were stopped by Rune Knights "Restricted area, there are deadly toxins in the area harmful even to mages, so go back." A knight told them firmly.

Cobra narrowed his eyes, sniffing, there wasn't a hint of any sort of toxin and if there had been, he damn sure would be the first to know.

"Yeah, sorry, we're with the search party looking for the missing mages." Lucy told the knight.

"Missing mages? Yeah, well, there are a lot of people missing, probably buried in the rubble somewhere, stay out of this area, it's restricted." He snapped.

"Ok, thank you, we'll head back." Lucy said, frowning and taking Cobras hand, trying to pull him away.

"You know…I'm one of the Dragon Slayers that brought that fucker down asshole, and I know there aren't any toxins, you can't sell those lies to me…better tell your higher ups that weak ass shit ain't gonna stick, them blocking this off makes them look pretty fucking suspicious." He said darkly. The Rune knight looked at him wide eyed at first then glared "Maybe you should come with me." He started to reach for Cobra but before Lucy could say anything or the man could hope to react, Cobra blew a stream of something that shimmered gold in his face and the man gagged and collapsed.

Lucy gasped, starting forward to help the fallen knight but Cobra stopped her, pulling her away and looking around before leading her at a swift pace away back toward the others.

"Just knocked him out Tink, he'll be spitting lies and scratching his nuts in less than an hour." He told her.

"Why did you say those things to him?! If they are up to something you practically painted a target on yourself!" Lucy demanded.

Cobra smirked at her "I stirred the pot, shits too fucking dead, we're not getting anywhere, time to turn the light on and see what roaches run for cover."

Lucy frowned, she didn't like this, and was betting Laxus wouldn't either. "Then what?" She demanded.

"We stomp on the ones that try the hardest to hide." Cobra replied.

Cobras discovery that the council was still doing something with the corpse of the dragon was sadly the only thing they turned up. There was no trace of Sherria anywhere, no hint of her scent, nothing, it wasn't terribly surprising, it had been 2 weeks since the fight, maybe if they'd been brought in sooner they might have had a better chance but Laxus didn't tell that to Heath who looked beyond miserable.

Wendy hated leaving him, but Lyon and Sherry were both there, and Sherry wasn't looking a whole lot better than Heath but he had people there to get him home, to get them both home.

"It's ok Wendy, I knew it was a long shot but I had to try…please have your people keep looking out for any information…" Heath begged. Laxus assured him they would and Wendy hugged the man again, promising him she'd do all she could to help, telling him he needed sleep, had to eat, that Sherria would be furious if he let himself get sick worrying.

"Yeah…she would…I'll eat when we get back home…and I'll try to sleep…"Heath promised. Cobra leaned over to Lyon "Lock his ass in, he plans to sneak back out once he thinks everyones asleep." He told the ice make mage. Lyon nodded grimly.

With that, Fairy Tail headed back home, Laxus heading into Makarovs office as soon as they got back, Wendy being pushed into a seat at the Raijinshuu table, Charle sitting on the table by her while Cristoff went to get them some dinner, like many of the others, they hadn't eaten all day.

"So I figured I'd come over tomarrow and help Cristoff get that window set up for you Charle." Bickslow said. Charle smiled "I would appreciate it, now that the room is mine I intend to get busy decorating…"

"Well, Laxus and I did most of the renovations on my house so I'm down to help if you need it. I'm gonna go get something myself, help Cristoff bring everything over." The Seith stood and went to join his brother at the bar.

Wendy pulled Charle into her arms, burying her face in the Exceeds white coat while a soft paw stroked her cheek.

"I'm so worried about Sherria…" Wendy whispered.

"I know dear, I am too." Charle agreed quietly.

Bickslow reached Cristoff, had planned to tell him Wendy looked rough but his brothers eyes were already on his mate and plenty concerned.

"Hey, I'll bring the food over, you go sit with Wendy ok? She need you, ya fucking Teddy Bear." Bickslow smirked and Cristoff snorted but thanked him and went back to Wendy, scooping both her and Charle up into his lap once he'd taken a seat.

Of the whole family, Cristoff had always been the one all of them turned to when upset. His sisters had cried all over their little brother after every heart break and Emzadi never would have made it through her first years as a female dragon slayer experiencing mating seasons if she hadn't had Cristoff to come home to after them.

Bickslow himself had turned to Cristoff when he'd needed help with difficult things, something about the man, while he teased him about their sisters calling him "Tebah" since they were little, which meant "Teddy Bear or cuddly bear" in Boscan, Cristoff was probably the heart of the Pradesh family, their father, Arman was its spirit and strength, but when his heart hurt, Bickslow had always called Cristoff even before he would turn to Laxus or Freed.

Often Cristoff would call his friends, and after talking with Cristoff, Laxus or Freed would mysteriously show up at his door offering the in-person support Cristoff couldn't give because he was more than a thousand miles away in Bosco, but Cristoff had come to Magnolia more than once when Bickslow had needed him.

If anyone could comfort a worrying Wendy, it was Cristoff. So Bickslow had Mira help him carry the plates of food to the table, set down a few bottles of wine and glasses, and smiled seeing Laxus and Emma coming to joint hem.

Cobra and Lucy sat in Makarovs office, Laxus had left to go get something to eat, they'd discussed what Cobra and Lucy had found out, and Cobras none to subtle way of stirring things up.

Ultimately Makarov believed the Poison Slayer was probably right to have done what he did. They needed something to happen, needed the council to make some sort of mistake, and If this was how they got that, well, so be it.

"Get rest, prepare for your mission, we're keeping the same time schedule if nothing comes up." Makarov told the couple. Lucy and Cobra were dismissed then and left happy to be free to go get something to eat.

Things were quiet for the next two weeks, and Lucy and Cobra departed for Dawn City. The trip would take a few days, Dawn city was on the opposite side of Fiore and Lucy was both excited and nervous at the same time.

She'd only passed through the place briefly, but had never spent much time there and she and Cobra were likely going to be there a week or more while he gathered information through various contacts.

She was going to play a role, she wasn't entirely sure she liked it, and it seemed to fit Cobras wickedness too well, but Makarov and Laxus had both agreed it was the best way for the couple to do what they needed to.

It was known already Cobra was a Dragon Slayer, so Lucy was going to play a ditzy piece of eye candy he'd scored as a mate.

She wasn't wild about it.

"Just hang on me, act slutty, and nobody will suspect a thing, I already have a reputation Tink, so expect me not to be nice, to act like an ass, insult you, the whole works." He warned as they got settled in their compartment for the first half of their trip.

"Oh so pretty much like usual." Lucy quipped "Except for me acting slutty because yeah…I don't" She said.

Cobra smirked "You do around me."

Lucy narrowed her eyes "I do NOT act like a slut." She said dangerously.

"You act like I was insulting you, I promise it wasn't meant that way at all…I love how you act when we're alone." He was teasing her, she knew he was, but it didn't change the fact she didn't like that word being used in reference to her, too many people said it about her clothes.

"Well, they're idiots, and I think your clothes are sexy as hell." Cobra told her, sitting back on the bench seat across from her. He pulled a lollipop out of his coat pocket and passed one over to her and she sighed seeing it was from the now-destroyed and gone candy shop in Hargeon that he'd liked so much.

"That's good because I think they are too and don't really give a damn what anyone else thinks. I just don't like that word." She said. Popping the candy into her mouth and sucking on it, enjoying the burst of fresh strawberry flavor over her tongue.

"No huh? What word would you prefer then?" He asked.

"Beautiful, sexy, daring or just shut the hell up?" She offered and he smirked at her.

"You're all those things Tink, but you don't do the last part very well." He quipped and she narrowed her eyes again.

"Pot meet kettle." She growled.

Now she had his full attention, an amethyst eye locking on her and he went still, growling back at her.

"Ass." She hissed, he shed his coat as he moved toward her and she glared at him "Bitch." He replied, grabbing her wrist just as she was starting to reach back to land a good slap on him.

"Oh…I think I need to remind you what fun I am on a train…" He whispered, pulling the lollipop from her mouth and placing it by his on the shelf by the door.

"What makes you think I'm gonna let you touch me after you called me a botch?" She asked.

"Because I still want to fuck you after you called me an ass, and you really…really…enjoy me on trains." He growled and in a sudden move that made her gasp he flipped her around so she was facing the back of the bench, one hand hitting the wall she bit her lip as he yanked her panties down and tossed them to the bed by the window.

His hands were magic, really, nobody could hope to rival what Cobra could do with just his fingers, one hand slid under her shirt and bra, the other between her legs and she crossed her arm in front of her face, crying out into her sleeve as he teased her.

He wasn't wrong, since their first tryst on the train up to Rosegarden more than a year ago, almost every time they got on a train Lucy found a way to get into Cobras pants, or at least lure him into hers.

She'd decided it was absolutely the best way to pass the time on a train. It had become a little game of hers, to see if every train ride could bring her some sort of delicious new experience with her mate.

Cobra had picked up on the pattern relatively quickly, and was more than happy to indulge her, if his achingly sexy mate wanted sex with him every time they got on a train? All he could do was wish they could take trains every damn place they went.

He slid two fingers into her and rumbled approvingly leaning forward to almost purr against her ear "So so wet, you really like trains…" He whispered.

"ah! Only…with you…" she replied pushing back into his hand, trying to get more and he ran his tongue along her ear making her shudder.

He removed his fingers and she whimpered but gasped when he pulled her back against him and she felt him hard and straining in his jeans against her. His hand snaked around her waist and his fingers played between her legs again while he slowly ground himself against her from behind.

It was driving her crazy, he'd shoved her bra up and was teasing her breasts, kept sliding her fingers around, into, all over her core and she was almost shaking because no matter what she did she couldn't get any firm friction, his touches teased, were deep enough to edge her pleasure up and up but not enough to come close to what she wanted.

"St…stop…teasing…me! Ah!" she groaned when the hand between her legs moved and he pressed the heel of his hand against her for just a few moments, enough to halt the air in her lungs.

"Mmm, so demanding…tell me what you want Tinkerbell." He purred at her ear, his sharp teeth catching her skin.

"Ah!..you…ah…I want you inside me…" Lucy panted and he slid his hand from her core, removing the wonderful feel of his hard body against her back, a moment later a finger slid into her and she growled "bastard." She hissed and he chuckled.

"Be more specific.." He purred.

The images that came to him then almost undid him, him pounding into her from behind an interesting position too…he growled reaching to undo his jeans…loving her creative soul.

"Say it Lucy…" He taunted a little more, dropping his jeans down, rubbing himself between her legs, dragging his erections entire length through her folds and making her moan and whimper.

"Please…uhh…please…I swear I'll hurt you…" She managed and he smiled, pulling his shirt off, pulling hers off as well and sliding his arms between her legs, spreading them and taking her weight behind her knees onto his arms, lifting her back , as she came against him he entered her and groaned, shuddering with pleasure himself, the angle was incredible, he was deliciously deep and she gasped with each of his trusts until finally she reached forward, bracing herself against the wall.

He was always incredible, even their little quickies left her smiling like an idiot, this was so good though, so deep, his chest against her back, his arms able to move her up and down and once she was braced on the wall he hit new depths, drove into her with such force she couldn't even hope for deep breaths, just shallow rapid gasps.

Her end came hard and fast, her legs spread so wide, he reached so far into her she'd no hope of trying to hold out. He fared no better though, thanking Lucys dirty imaginative mind for this little position he'd be remembering. He came hard with her, having adjusted to the fact their bond made certain they shared every pleasure.

He eased her down, his legs nearly shaking he'd been using his thighs for a lot of the power of his thrusts. Ultimate leg workout he thought wickedly.

Lucy turned, laying on the bench and he flopped onto the bed. A few moments later she crawled onto it and pressed against him, kissing him and he eagerly kissed her back.

Fucking her from behind definitely gave him some wonderful access to angles and spots he couldn't get any other way, but he loved kissing Lucy, the taste of her, the soft little noises she would make, how good her soft lips felt, yep, only drawback, but his mind eased into concentrating on winning dominance over her bold tongue in his mouth, he'd get plenty of kisses, she hungered for them as much as he did.

"You love me." She purred, smiling at him, her brown eyes warming him, "and you are so not done having fun with me…" He responded and she grinned "True…" she admitted, sliding over the top of him.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxooxxoxooxoxoxoxoxooxoxo

A/N Thank you to all who reviewed the next chapter is already partially written right now, just lacing things together before I start pulling the knots tight...DESNA


	22. Chapter 22 Hoback

Cobra went over how Lucy was to act several more times with her before they reached Dawn City. She was actually laughing at him the last time, they had boarded their last train and she was pushing him back on the seat in the compartment, her hand already pulling his swiftly hardening member free and he'd actually thought for half a minute she was listening when in fact she'd just been staring at him, planning her next move because their adventures in train sex had become a game she took seriously now.

They had only about an hour on this train and she meant to make the most of it. So Cobra needed to stop drilling her on her cover, she got it, keep quiet, hang on him, don't show any anger etc if he said nasty things even about her because he didn't mean them he was just playing his role.

She got it, and she really, badly, wanted to get some more of him before they dug into this and playing around on the trains had kept her from worrying.

"Lucy, are you..mpfh!" She'd shut him up, capturing his mouth and reminding him what she wanted it to be doing while she drug her nails over the mating mark on her neck and smiled against his lips as his whole body tensed and she was able to settled down on top of him, his length filling her so perfectly she moaned into his mouth.

"Now stop grinding away at me on my cover and start grinding this way." She teased, grinding her hips into him and smiling when his eye closed and his head tipped back.

"Fuck…Lucy…" He groaned as she started moving harder up and down on him.

"Yes that's right, good boy." She grinned wickedly down at him and watched his eye snap open and narrow on her, knew she may have, maybe, pushed the teasing a bit far, but damn it, she wanted him to just fuck her so she didn't have to worry about what they were heading into.

He grabbed her, and a few moments later she was the one on the bench, on her side, one leg propped against his chest, the other stretched out between his legs while he pistoned into her so hard and fast she couldn't do anything but grip the seat and struggle to breathe.

Once they had reached their very gratifying end, Erik leaned over her and kissed her, looking seriously at her.

"I need to know you're going to be ok through this, I may garb your ass, even a tit, say some vulgar things, even mention what a fine and fun thing you are to fuck…" He smirked 'Which would be true…but you can't be anything but sweet and clueless ok? Because that's the type of women I was fucking when these guys knew me best. I'm going to be acting like the man I was before Nirvana and you didn't love that man…hell I didn't like him either." He watched her and Lucy nodded "I know, and there may be women who remember you, who try to come and kiss up on you, and you might even poison a person or two…for fun…"

He nodded at her, moving off of her so she could get her clothing straight and so he could pull his own clothes back into order. He had not real complaints, he got Lucy used their play to help her cope with what they were going to do. It helped him too.

Being with her grounded him, she was his center, his balance point, and he loved so much that she enjoyed his body as much as he did hers. More than a year together and he was still just astounded that she was really his. He wasn't loving the idea of showing her, clearly, just how he used to do business, the people he interacted with, but there wasn't a choice.

They had to get this information and, Hoback, was the man he could get it from. Dealing illegal animal parts and illegal animals themselves was dangerous, but Dawn City was far from ERA and Crocus, and had both port and rail access.

Lucy changed then into the black mini skirt, snug black sleeveless top, black thigh high stockings and heels Cobra had wanted her in. He changed too, into dark maroon leather pants with black leather straps at the hips that circled down around his thighs, a skin tight black turtle neck and then slid his white coat on.

 _Oh damn_ … Lucy felt her brain plummet into the gutter, she'd seen him in these clothes before but not for years, and she could swear he didn't look so good in them then either.

"Yeah, well, your clothes wont be any easier for me to deal with so we're even." He smiled.

Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxxoxoxoxoxox

Dawn City was a busy place, centralized for the western edge of Fiore it was close to more than one port and along a busy rail line that connected both north and south and went East to Crocus.

It was not, however, well monitored by the council or the military of the country, relying instead on well bought off local law enforcement that was well, famous for its corruption.

Working, living, running a business or even passing through Dawn City was only done by people prepared to make a great deal of money, or die trying.

There were several brothels, pleasure houses, casinos and all manner of dark commerce to had in Dawn City.

It had been a favorite spot for Cobra throughout his time in the Oracion Seis, Brain sent him there often to pick up or deliver things, catch up to someone, kill people, you name it, he'd done it there. So when he started walking from the train station, Lucy tight on his side, it wasn't long before people started noticing him, recognizing him.

He'd deliberately dressed in his favorite clothes of that time period, and had Lucy dressed up in black snakeskin very much on purpose. It made it clear she belonged to him, and that would give her a level of protection.

He went straight to the hotel/casino that had been his favorite, the Black Dove was comfortable, discreet, and the management was good at making incidents become unimportant and bodies disappear.

When he checked in the manager smirked "Been a while…thought you were in prison still." The man said calmly.

"Yeah…out on good behavior." Cobra sneered and the man grinned, handing him a key. "I won't be doin business here at the dove if I can avoid it Jack, bust watch out for my lady, I fought hard for this one, I'm keeping her a while." He said nodding toward Lucy. Jack nodded "Yeah, I can see why, no worries Cobra, I'll let the boys know…who you workin under now?"

Cobra narrowed his eye at the man "Best you don't know Jack…lets just say I moved up into a higher ranked group shall we?" He replied.

Jacks thoughts to the new alliance top dogs were exactly what Cobra had wanted him to conclude, Jack would assume he was now with one of the highest ranked guilds in the alliance, and would send out a warning through the pipeline not to fuck with him.

Once that was established he took Lucy up to the room, checked it for spying devices, found three, showed her what they looked like before destroying them.

The first person they met was ran a place called the Hunters Lodge, you had to be a guilded hunter in order to enter but when Cobra walked in, the woman at the front desk grinned.

"Hey sexy, we've missed you around here, what's got your hot ass outa jail and around here again?" The woman had pale purple hair and Lucy…hated her immediately.

 _If I'm supposed to be his fucking woman, then I can be catty and bitchy toward women who come on to him…well within character_ …

She decided.

Cobra glanced at her, hoping he could get info before Lucy decided to apply herself to her character.

"Good behavior, I made people happy, they returned the favor. Is Branson here?" He asked, ignoring how the purple haired woman and Lucy were glaring daggers at each other.

"Yeah…who's the bimbo?" The woman asked, leaning toward him, sliding a hand over his chest.

"Mine, best fuck I've ever had too, not too sharp, but she has all I want in all the right places, right honey?" He looked at Lucy who smiled nastily at the other woman, slapping her hand away while she pressed herself into Cobra side.

"Whatever you say Cobra." She replied.

"Get Branson, I don't have a lot of time, I've got a meeting to get ready for." He told her and she sighed, glaring at Lucy and walking behind the wall behind the register.

Lucy slid in front of Cobra, licking his neck until she reached his ear "Lots of those things you showed me." She observed, she could spot at least 5 of the watching devices. Cobra smirked, grabbing her and kissing her roughly "Gotta put on a good show." He told her.

 _Fuck, is it wrong I think this is sexy? It's wrong, It has to be_ … Lucy kissed him back, sliding back to his side when he made a soft growling sound.

A lean man with dark brown hair and grey eyes smiled at Cobra.

"My favorite venom drinker." The man said.

"My favorite poison mixer, Branson…hey, I need some info, personal thing, not for the higher ups, just for me." He said calmly.

Branson smirked "Hey, anything for you man, after you got me out of that spot a few years ago with the Sunless clan? Yeah, whatever you need." He said.

Branson led them to a small office and Lucy got to exchange nasty looks with the woman from the front again. Once seated Cobra eyed Branson seriously.

"So there's some serious shit going down, you hear about Hargeon?" He asked. Branson nodded, shaking his head "Fuck, yeah, no way not to, were you out that way when it went down?" He asked.

Cobra narrowed his eye "I was fucking THERE on some business when the shit hit the fan man, couldn't get in after though to find out anything about what mad that fucking thing move."

"I heard some things, but all rumors, no idea if any of them are true but I can tell you…fucking R&D at ERA? They're buying shit, even I've sold em some things, you should talk to Hoback, I think he's due in like tomarrow or some shit, they've been cleaning him OUT of his inventory." Branson said.

Cobra nodded "Yeah, I'd been hearing some shit like that too, wondering if maybe they might deal some with who I'm with now, wondering if it's worth looking into, think they're related to Hargeon?"

Branson looked at a screen that showed several views of the shop before he answered.

"Rumor is that shit was a test." Branson said.

Cobra snorted "Costly test, but whatever, hopefully they don't try one of those things on the next most populated port area huh?" He eyed Branson who frowned, Dawn City would be that target.

"Yeah no shit. Anyway, what has you dragging your fine toy there out of the woodwork?" The man asked. Cobra put an arm around Lucy, dragging her over to his lap.

"Yeah, this ones a keeper..maybe…she's very…ah…talented. But I came into something, sort of…fell into my hands you might say, an egg…a Dragon Egg, I know you've had them before, I remember you used to keep a yellow one in that case in your office downstairs…" He said.

Bransons eyes lit up. "You got a Dragon Egg? Well, if you want to sell it I could line up a buyer or buy it from you myself." He said eagerly.

Cobra shook his head "Naw, you know I'm a slayer Branson, I'm keeping it, sentimental reasons. What can you tell me about what the things need?" He asked.

Branson drew a breath "Well, depends on the type ya know? That yellow one of mine is from a brood mother who had been bred by a lightning dragon, so that damn thing would take more electricity than 50 thunder storms to warm it up so it could develop. Water ones need water, fire ones need like molten lava, you know, whatever dragons spawned it, you provide the egg with the element base of their magic to help it develop. Dragon eggs usually hatch within 7 months but can lay dormant for centuries if their broodmother doesn't hatch them." He said.

"Really though, Hoback again, the mans a fucking expert on Dragon commodities." Branson shrugged and Cobra nodded "Yeah, I'm seeing him while he's here. Ok, well, thanks man, was trying to figure out what to do with that now that I've got it, I'll let my higher ups know you're still a good resource man." The pair nodded their farewells and Lucy followed Cobra from the shop, glaring at the woman out front again as she passed her if for no other reason than consistency.

Back at the hotel they opted to stay in and order room service, Lucy sat on the bed noting everything they'd learned so it could all be relayed back to the Master.

"So the R&D department for the council of magic at ERA is buying illegal magical animals and…parts…of magical animals and the rumor is the release of Motherglare was a test…" Lucy had been enjoying some pasta, which was really very tasty but put her fork down, frowning and trying to put everything together but just not finding herself able to wrap her head around it all.

"Yeah and I get the feeling the disappearances of those two Lamia Scale mages involved whoever released that dragon somehow, just too convenient that while mages are fighting and trying to help the people in Hargeon, someone cherry picked a couple right out of there, both women, both young and pretty…" Cobra said, sliding onto the bed beside his mate and laying back with his arms behind his head.

Lucy closed her notebook and put it back in her bag and set her plate back on the room service cart, her appetite gone.

She slid onto the bed, pressing against Cobra, seeking comfort that he immediately gave, his arms sliding around her, lips pressing against her forehead.

She was tired, worried, anxious about tomorrow, and certain she wanted nothing more than to curl up with Cobra and sleep.

Sensing Lucys mood, almost wincing at the chaotic state of her thoughts, Cobra pulled her more onto the bed with him, kicking his boots off and nuzzling into her hair. "Why don't we take a nice long bath…the tub here is plenty big enough for two…I'm thinking I like the idea of rubbing your body down…" He said softly by her ear.

Lucy smiled she loved him, and at that moment more than ever too, a long hot bath with him, his tanned sexy body naked for her to enjoy? Yes please.

He stood, and while Lucy stripped down he drew the bath, once it was filling he turned, smiling as his beautiful mate came up and started pulling his clothes off of him.

He really did love her, even though he hadn't been able to make himself say so yet he knew she could feel it, and he would get there.

He still ached over his inability to father children for her, they were mated, and because of him…Lucy would never be a mother and God would he love to see her body swelling carrying his child. He would love to have some little blonde hellion with their combined sarcasm and intelligence, her beauty, his strength.

It still ate at him, at times like these, when they were tender with each other, kissing slow, everything in an easy burn, just languishing in touching each other, being with each other.

He slid into the steaming water and she stepped in, settling between his legs, he rubbed her back, her shoulders, her neck, down her arms, everything in slow deep firm massaging movements that had her making sounds very much like she did when they were doing less innocent things.

He smiled, her mind wasn't in that place right now, she was just enjoying his attention and he was enjoying giving it to her. Some time later she fell asleep in his arms and he carefully carried her from the tub to the bed, drying her off as best he could before laying her under the blankets.

Once he'd drained the tub checked the locks and shut out all the lights he slid under the covers with her, pulling her against him and curling himself around her protectively before he fell asleep.

Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxxoxoxoxoxxoxoxoxoxxo

Wendy lay back on the couch, she was supposed to be picking out a movie to watch but she was too busy watching Cristoff.

He was busy in the kitchen behind her, Charle perched on his shoulder, the two pleasantly discussing what he was making for dinner and whether or not certain spices should or should not be included.

Bickslow was sitting on a barstool adding his own opinion, both men were, Wendy had learned, pretty good cooks, and Bickslow was currently chopping vegetables while Cristoff was grilling chicken for stirfry. They'd sent Wendy to select the movie for the evening.

Over the last couple of weeks Cristoff and Charle hadn't just gotten along well, she could honestly say the two were hitting it off. Charle accepting Cristoff was Wendys mate, Wendy was a grown woman, yes the couple had sex…a lot of it, Wendy smirked, and propriety and protecting Wendy was something Charle just didn't have to worry about now. Cristoff, like it or not, was far better in the protection department than Charle was, so Charle had relaxed and become what she'd been before, Wendys closest friend.

Sometimes Charle stayed over at Bickslows now, the pair having struck up an odd sort of friendship, and since Laxus was living at Bickslows, and so was Emma, Bickslow tended to come over to Wendy and Cristoffs a lot more of late, since Laxus had finally sunk his fangs into the woman and started claiming her the Thunder God had been a little…testy.

So Bickslow wouldn't get himself murdered by doing what Bickslow did best…tease a dragon slayer, Cristoff had offered his brother a room in their house and Bickslow spent the night pretty often so Laxus and Emma could have time alone.

With all of the people displaced from Hargeon, housing was at a premium in Magnolia, so there really were no apartments Laxus could rent while his own home had turned into a mini Fairy Hills. So this was the best solution. Bickslow commandeered the bigger of the remaining bedrooms upstairs, letting Charle keep hers, and Wendy lived in a home overflowing with laughter and fun every night.

Cristoff and Bickslow got along like typical brothers, the 7 year gap in their relationship had barely been a speed bump for them.

Even Freed was over tonight going over his notes from, Wendy sighed…she and Cristoffs mating, which, she had found out, Freed had observed from a safe distance, something Charle had already made the Rune mage blush over.

"Yeah he about hemoraged, I think his nose bled for like an hour…" Bickslow said and Cristoff had snickered while Wendy had turned deep red.

"You…watched us?!" She demanded.

Freed cringed "It was academic, there is no information on the subject of how female dragon slayers claim their mates Wendy. I couldn't see details, it was the ritualistic behaviors I was making note of." Freed said trying to sound calm.

"and my nose did not bleed for an hour Bickslow…it barely bled at all.." He added quietly.

"Uh huh, I was worried I was gonna have to rush him to the hospital for a fucking transfusion or something." Bickslow said, cleaning some carrots.

"I can't believe you watched us Freed…and Bickslow! You were there too!?" Wendy glared at the Seith who shrugged "Wasn't watching cupcake, I was gathering up some nice pine for a project I'm working on, only that voyeur there was watching you two." He pointed his knife at Freed who rolled his eyes.

"Academic, I was there for purely academic reasons. Oh for heavens sake, when you have children if one is a female dragon slayer you might be grateful I'm putting all of this information together, really. Instead of having to explain it all, the child can read." He said in a flustered tone.

Cristoff shrugged, going back to working on dinner and Wendy stared at them all wondering why nobody was as horrified and embarrassed as her.

"Really couldn't see much cupcake, that light spell Cristoff set off was blinding." Bickslow reassured her.

"Indeed, but it did dim down when Wendy claimed Cristoff, I believe when she broke his arm…" Freed agreed. Wendys eyes flew wide "You saw that?!"

Freed looked down at his notes "Your aggression, you hurt him, caused a great deal of pain it seemed, do you remember it or had your dragon soul taken over completely?"

Wendy blinked at him incredulously. "My dragon was in control but I remember everything. It was like, watching someone else using my voice and magic." She said, not really sure why she was answering and helping him.

"Dominance Freed, Wendy perceived me having sex with other women before we were committed to each other as a betrayal. So her dragon made me pay for that and made it clear who I belonged to. Pure Dragon behavior." Cristoff said.

"I really think you should add more teriyaki sauce." Charle said then from her place on Cristoffs shoulder.

"I marinated the chicken in that and there's already ¼ cup in here." Cristoff scoffed.

"Well I like the flavor." The exceed said. "Noted, and you can put more on yours when its ready." Cristoff replied.

"So Wendys dragon was driving home her ownership of you?" Freed asked. Cristoff nodded.

"Not needed, but yes, she felt I'd betrayed her, so she drove home the point that me fucking random women to relax wasn't something she took as lightly as I did."

"Why wasn't the point needed?" Wendy asked, narrowing her eyes.

"Because once mated the male can not perform for any female but his mate, I literally can't get hard for any woman but you for the rest of my life. I couldn't have sex with anyone but you even if I wanted to, and, with the bond…I won't ever want to anyway." He replied.

"Crude." Charle sighed.

"Truth." Cristoff shrugged.

"You sound like you may need the point made more clear for you." Wendy said.

That made him look at her and Bickslow calmly took his place at the stove and Charle hopped from his shoulder to look at Freeds notes while Cristoff crossed the kitchen and sat by Wendy on the couch.

There was no humor in the midnight blue eyes that met hers.

"It's clear. While I may not agree with the morality behind it, there is a bottom line I won't argue. I hurt you, I made you feel…less important than you are and that means what I did was wrong." He said.

Wendy had bit her lip, tears threatening her eyes. She wasn't even sure why, he stirred so many powerful emotions in her, the greatest being the one she felt from him as strong as it was in herself. He loved her.

She reached for him and he pulled her to him, kissing her, a soft and delicate kiss that left her wanting more but, with Freed watching them, she didn't want to put on any more shows.

"Maybe I should prove a point to Freed about privacy…"She whispered. Cristoff hugged her "Pick out a movie love. Dinner should be ready soon." He kissed her again then stood and went back to the kitchen taking over Bickslow former spot getting the vegetables ready.

She watched him, again a little overwhelmed. Her first crush was now her mate. Like Levy, she had a man that was greatly bigger than her, 6'2" over 230lbs Cristoff was on the same scale as Gajeel and Laxus in size and physical strength.

Unlike either of her kin though, Cristoff was far from shy about showing affection, recognizing and reacting pretty well to the feelings of others. He really was the Teddy Bear his sisters had labeled him as. With her at least.

She sighed, the happy scene in their kitchen, the comfortable feeling, it was delicate. The air heavy with the memory of Hargeon and the fear of something else like it on the horizon.

Her friend was still missing, no trace of her, no clue anywhere. Her boyfriend had finally collapsed and was now staying with family in Crocus until he got his strength back.

Sherry had been in touch, now a month had passed, reconstruction in Hargeon was in full swing now and nobody knew what to do next, where to look, there wasn't a single lead to go on, not even a hunch or an idea.

Sherria was one of her best friends, the thought of her out there somewhere, in trouble, maybe in pain made Wendy close her eyes, her hand still on the remote for the Lacrima Vision screen.

"Dinners ready Dinners ready!" Two totems flew around her and Wendy shook herself from her thoughts, turning to see the men including Freed bringing plates and drinks into the livingroom.

A few minutes later she was comfortably seated with Cristoff eating stir fry chicken while Bickslow took over setting up the movie and they settled in. She was happy, so much so she felt almost guilty.

While she was laying against Cristoffs chest, eating delicious food, one of his arms around her, loved and in love, in her comfortable home with family and friends, Sherria was lost somewhere and her love was suffering worrying himself sick over her.

It was hard to relax into the warm arms holding her knowing something, somewhere, was moving toward making more people she loved suffer.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxxoxoxoxoxoxxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxxoxoxoxoxoxxoxoxo

Cobra drew a long breath, Lucy was in the shower, running the steaming water through her long golden hair, back arched, both hands up making sure her hair was soaked through, stretching her ample breasts upward.

They were going to meet Hoback in a few hours, needed to get dressed, eat, and get to the other side of Dawn City in that time so he measured whether he had time enough to just join her, or if that would slow things down too much.

He adored her, he really did, Lucy had consumed his thoughts, been a regular in his dreams since he'd met her years ago. They had both changed a lot, and now he better understood why he'd always been a little obsessed with her.

Initially he'd thought he just needed to kill her, once dead she couldn't haunt his thoughts, and back then when he'd met her, the idea of love, romance, relationships, was something he pretty much spit on and laughed at.

Weak assed saps did that shit, not cold blooded killers like him.

So he'd tried, actively participated not once but twice in trying to kill Lucy, had damn near succeeded the second time, though by the end of that he'd kind of known, Kinana wasn't the reason he'd softened during that fight…his dragon wanted who it wanted.

He didn't deserve her, he knew that for certain, but then she always countered that statement with "But I deserved you, so I won." Usually followed by her showing him just how much she loved him.

She was the most beautiful thing he'd ever laid eyes on, and his body almost couldn't handle what it went through when they were together. Making love to Lucy was the only time in his life that Cobra knew the wording was right for what was happening.

They had sex, they definitely fucked, but they also made love, and every time it rocked his damn world. He had to channel the old part of him though, Hoback was smart, sharp, observant. If Cobra acted wrong, he and Lucy would be fighting their way out of Hunters Lodge, and out of Dawn City too.

So thinking about how badly in love he was with his mate really wasn't going to help right now.

Heaving a sigh he dropped his sleep pants and boxers, ok, if he couldn't get his nasty on, he might as well just let some wickedness out.

Lucy squealed when he slipped suddenly into the shower but as soon as her chocolate colored eyes met his gaze for a moment, the surprise and irritation flew out the window and she she sliding her hands up his chest.

"You startled me you ass." She said, pushing her hands into his maroon locks and giving them a sharp tug that made him bare his teeth at her.

"You asked for it, we only have 4 hours to get there you know, you trying to wrinkle your tits?" He asked, leaning down and pulling a rosey bud into his mouth.

She tried to pull him back, tugging pretty hard on his hair but he rolled the hardening bud over so it was resting under a needle sharp fang and she arched her body into his, hissing through her teeth when she felt that fang threatening her sensitive flesh.

"Why don't we just have some nice quick and rough shower sex then so my tits don't wrinkle?" She said and Cobra smirked against her breast.

"You trying to seduce me?" He asked, a hand sliding between her legs and making her moan.

"I don't need to try, you're easy." She was tilting her head back against the tile as he lifted her and started to position himself.

"You think I'm easy?" He drug his fangs up her body, leaving a trail of pink flesh in their wake and Lucy shuddered and squirmed, her hands shooting down to his shoulders.

"You are for me." She breathed then let out a drawn out moan with him as he pushed into her.

"I always will be too." He admitted against her shoulder, god she felt so good, he could honestly say that when he'd thought over a year ago that he could fuck this woman a few times and forget about her, he'd been out of his damn mind.

He could never get enough, every time just made him want her more. Over a year and a half now and they were not even slowing down with how much they were after each other.

Gajeel had said something about the two of them balancing each other over time, well, they'd balanced, he and Lucy were both apparently meant to want each others bodies 24/7.

He snapped his hips forward and took up a rough, merciless rhythm without holding anything back. He knew he didn't need to with her and also knew she didn't want him to.

Lucys screams mixed with his own groans, grunts and growls until finally she slammed her hand against the tile, throwing her head back and gasping "Erik!" as her walls clamped down on him like a vice and started pulling on him until he was utterly spent. He lowered her to her feet, and they played at cleaning each other, Lucy enjoyed sliding her soapy hands over his ass, grinning up at him and then locking her lips over his.

She had a thing about his ass, and he was just fine with that too because he fucking loved her perfect damn breasts…yeah…he was a breast man who had hit the fucking jackpot and he knew it.

Watching her squeeze those gorgeous globes into tight black snakeskin didn't help him get his head right, he could fuck her fifty times and still be lusting after her in that outfit.

He was thinking Makarov just wanted to torture him and make this mission some sort of sadistic test of Cobras ability to work in dark places making him bring Lucy for this.

If it was, this was a pretty fucking tough test.

He pulled on his own clothes and they went down and had breakfast then headed across the city.

As they were walking up to Hunters Lodge Cobra shrugged out of his white coat and tossed it at Lucy. "Put it on." He snapped.

Her wearing his signature coat would send an even clearer message than the snakeskin clothes, and, it would cover her up a bit which would help Cobra stay sharp and not get distracted.

Hoback was sitting at the same table Cobra had seen him at a few years ago, looked pretty much the same too. Always in a green leather jerkin over a tan shirt, tan cargo pants tucked into camo combat boots, everything on a lean but muscular body. White hair pulled back in a ponytail that hung down to his waist a wolf track tattood over his left eye in red. Sharp pale green eyes locked on Cobra and a smirk tilted the wide thin lipped mouth.

"Snakespit." He sneered. "Wolf jizz." Cobra replied.

It got quiet, a couple of the men in the smoky Lodge fingering the handles of weapons. Lucy stood so close to Cobra her chest brushed the back of his arm, she was nervous, but kept an icy emotionless expression on her face she'd mastered in her debutante days.

Hoback laughed and Cobra smirked, the two men closing the distance between them and shaking hands before Hoback led them to his table.

"Your sex appeal must have caught up to your tastes huh?" Hoback nodded toward Lucy who stood beside Cobra as he took his seat across from Hoback. Cobra smirked again "Yeah, she likes bad boys and they don't get much worse than me." He said.

Hoback laughed again, a loud booming sound. "That's the fucking truth. Well, by the mark on her neck I can tell she's not just a temporary fucktoy for you either Dragon Dick."

Cobra nodded "She's especially skilled in everything I like…and fucking ruthless in a fight too. Sit down babe, your making some boys sweat." He didn't miss the leering looks she was getting, she didn't either, and touched the whip at her hip as she sat down, plucking a thin bladed dagger from her cleavage and cleaning her nails looking bored.

Hoback smiled "Ok, what can I do for you buddy? I don't have much to offer, I have clients right now that are keeping me pretty well cleaned out of inventory and I'm even paying some other fucking hunters to work easier hunts for me so I can keep up with demand."

"I came into a dragons egg, sorta fell into my lap via the people who stole it from whoever they stole it from dying of mysterious causes at my feet. I'm keeping, but I wanna know how to handle it so it gestates." He said.

Hoback smiled.

"What color is the egg?" He asked.

"Grey, little yellow spots here and there." Cobra replied.

Hoback whistled, grinning at him "Storm dragon egg, believed to be out of Raneira herself, mate of Igneel the fire dragon. HAH, I know who stole that shit out of Pergrande, I'm not surprised they lost it to somebody, or that the thieves met a mysterious end at your feet." Hoback slapped the table.

"Get a rain mage or something to put a rain spell over it, have a lightning mage charge up the rain and that little fucker should gestate for you. Assholes in Pergande stole it some 20 years ago, last known brood laid by Raniera who was a serious fucking Dragon Queen. Acnalogia assaulted the mountains she was trying to raise the brood in, she kicked his ass but he escaped and she was pretty fucked up by the fight. Most of the eggs were destroyed during the whole thing, only three were said to make it through, Pergrandian mountaineers found them and brought them down, gifted them to the king."

"He broke one and fed the contents to a few of his berserkers thinking it would make em strong…" Hoback cackled "every one of em died." Outraged he had the second one encased in gold and then set this one on display, from whence it was stolen more than a year ago."

"Raneira of course died shortly after Acnalogia killed Igneel a few years back having never recovered the eggs but folks said that mean bitch fucked up a few places in Pergrande looking for them. Pretty nice find." Hoback told him.

Cobra smirked "I sure thought so." He agreed.

"I'm sure that's not the only reason you wanted to talk to me." Hoback smile was a little more measured this time and Cobra nodded.

"Yeah, well, I was in Hargeon handling some business when fucking Motherglares corpse came and tore the city up, you know how the fuck that happened and if there are any other towns I need to stay out of in the near future?" He asked. Letting annoyance fill his tone.

Hoback laughed "I heard you were there for that shit, someone told me you were involved in bringing that thing down too." He said, eyeing Cobra closely.

The Poison Slayer growled "Not fast enough, piece of shit wrecked the store house I was retrieving some things from, got my fucking ass baked over the loss too, I had to fight that thing with some Fairies, FAIRIES Hoback, the same fuckers that took my last guild down. Barely got my ass out of there too. So do you know anything or not?"

Hoback held his hands up smiling "I didn't procure that particular dragon but I know the Councils R&D department were the last ones that had that fucker when he was still breathing. I don't know if they set it loose but I know they recovered some lacrimas from that corpse, probably what animated it, but I have no idea where someone would get lacrimas that could do that shit, wish I did. I've sold them a few whelps and an Ice Dragon we caught in Icenburg though, they've gotten into some dark ass shit the last few years in ERA. Since Tartaros things haven't been run quite the same you know? I'm enjoying the change, has business flourishing." He said.

Cobra smiled, flashing fangs. "I bet, what about any cities facing a similar problem? Heard anything? I'd like to make sure I don't have interests anywhere that might happen again ya know?"

Hoback nodded, lowering his voice "Anything you have in or around Shirotsume you should probably get out or shut down before summer." He said quietly "and that, you know, I didn't say." Cobra nodded and slid a box across the table to Hoback, one Makarov had given him. The Master had said Princess Kurino had supplied it just for this meeting.

"Gift, for help with my egg and not saying anything that could save me a fuck ton of trouble." He said.

Hoback narrowed his eyes, opening the box and his eyes flew wide, inside a feather burned, multicolored flames licking over its crimson and yellow surface.

"Oh shit…you know how long I've wanted one of these?" He asked. Cobra smirked "Long as I've known you." He stood, Lucy standing with him and Hoback shook his hand, closing the box and tucking it protectively into his inside breast pocket.

"see you around man." Cobra waved, leading Lucy from the Lodge.

They didn't breathe until they had checked out of the hotel gotten on the train and locked themselves in their compartment.

Lucy was furiously writing everything down and Cobra called Makarov as soon as they were out of Dawn City.

"Erik! Good to see you! How did the meeting go?" The master asked brightly.

Cobra drew a deep breath, Lucy sliding into the seat beside him to smile tightly at the master as Cobra started filling the man in on what they had learned.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxxoxo

A/N To Words, Moon, Kura, Western, Teir, Roses, Two and everyone else who has been reviewing, many many thanks. To Musicera who is helping me sharpen this as I go, you're awesome. Next chapter is already nearly finished but I wanted to get this one posted before I got much farther with it! I hope you all are enjoying it! Again, this is an alternate timeline. I do a good bit of research into characters, I do my best to weave some intricacy into these fics. OOC will happen, alot of things are occurring in this timeline. The next chapter will probably shock a few folks with what happens, I have reasons things come together like they do I promise though I do take what you guys say to heart as I write. Until chapter 23, always wave like royalty...DESNA


	23. Chapter 23 Bad teacher

A/N This is a bit of a bridge chapter, I'm already working on the next one. Hope everyone enjoys!...DESNA

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxxooxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoo

When Cobra and Lucy returned the following meeting was a sobering one. They were going to take a couple of days, consult with the King and the Princess of Bosco.

Juvia and Laxus set the Egg up in a rune shielded little room with all Cobra had learned it needed and when he'd told everyone what Hoback had told him about the history of the egg they had, Natsu had stopped pushing the remnants of his dinner around the plat in front of him in boredom and snapped onyx eyes on Cobra.

"You're saying that egg is carrying a child of Igneel?" He demanded. Cobra nodded "The last one left, yeah, Raneria fought off fucking Acnalogia to try and save their last brood over 20 years ago, had been trying to keep it well hidden somewhere in the mountains of Pergrande when he'd attacked her."

"She's dead, died shortly after Igneel, for obvious reasons, but she kept trying to recover the stolen eggs until she died, not knowing there was only one left that hadn't been killed. This one." Cobra told him.

"The last child of Igneel…." Natsu breathed. Without a word he rose and went downstairs to where the long term store rooms were and sat outside the one the egg was now resting in.

While it was being decided how Fairy Tail would respond to the new information Cobra and Lucy had brought home the women decided this was the time to unwind, have a girls night, and Wendy suddenly found herself Invited. Lucy putting a hand on her shoulder "You're coming too woman." She said with a grin.

It was the first time Wendy had gotten invited to a "ladies night" she had always wanted to go, heard about them so many times after the fact, but even though she'd been legally old enough to drink for two years, none of the older women had thought she should go with them to a club or participate in all of the wild games, dares and bets that happened when most of Fairy Tails strongest women got together. So when Cana had invited her, Wendy had been absolutely thrilled.

She'd practically jumped on Cristoff, nearly knocking the man out of his seat at the table with Bickslow and Laxus.

"I won't be home until really late, if at all, I got invited out to a girls night!" She told him excitedly. Laxus rolled his eyes, quickly looking over to where Cana, Lucy and Levy were at the bar by Mira and groaned inwardly when he saw Emma with them.

Shit, there went his own plans for the night. He was wondering if his beautiful little girlfriend was going to come running over and pounce on him like Wendy had just done to Cristoff, trying to decide if he liked the idea or not.

"Girls night huh?" Cristoff managed to steady himself, get an arm around his grinning mate and smiled up into her dancing dark brown eyes "Yes, we're having it at Canas and going to Prisms." She told him happily.

Cristoff could only sit and smile while she went on about barely being able to wait for lunchtime when the women were all leaving to go shopping and all the fun would begin.

They'd taken a short overnight job to Onibus with Bickslow to look into some strange activity at an estate the owner was afraid to investigate and the authorities were too busy with other things to bother with.

Turned out to be some unsavories from Hargeon had decided to squat on the estate, no ghosts or anything magical involved. The trio had made short work of the group and drug them into Onibus to be dealt with.

So Wendy had spending money, not that she didn't already, Cristoff had bought their house outright so they didn't have any rent or mortgage and other than some minor things Wendy had bought to make the house feel like it was really hers, aside from groceries, supplies, clothes and travel expenses, a lot of which Cristoff covered. Wendy had watched money build up in her savings like it never had before.

It worked well for her. Though Porlyusica had insisted by 18 she would stop growing, and Wendy hadn't gained a fraction of an inch past 5'6", she'd been delighted to see herself fill out more, she was almost too big for a c-cup bra and filled in a size 7 dress flawlessly now. But she'd not had a chance to really shop since these delightful enhancements to her already curvy body had occurred.

Cristoff certainly didn't mind her clothes being a bit tight on her, but he could get impatient trying to get them off of her sometimes and several of her shirts, jeans and even a few dresses were shredded by her mates lusty impatience to reach her skin.

So getting to shop with the women, all of them, who she had always thought dressed so beautifully, was a dream come true.

She didn't know there were motives behind some of the other women that weren't entirely innocent until she, Levy and even Lucy found themselves stripped down, their clothes held hostage while they tried on lingerie and Lovelace, a somewhat risqué, upscale shop that was Lucy, Cana and Miras favorite place to get underwear, nighties etc.

"All three of you have got full time access to hot sexy men and while Lucy rocks a decent collection of close to hot enough panties and such, I KNOW Levy doesn't and I also know you don't Wendy, so this trip is a fucking intervention!" Cana declared.

Mira nodded, pushing Wendy into a changing stall with an arm load of things to try on "Exactly, Wendy you need lingerie that helps that figure, not hides it, Cristoff wears clothes that sure don't hide his assets, you shouldn't either as his mate!" The demon said firmly.

"Exactly! You're a woman now, time to dress like one full time!" Lisanna added.

Wendy didn't put up much of a fight, she'd been trying to think of how to ask for advice on lingerie without embarrassing herself anyway.

Cristoff didn't once mention her choices in clothing unless it was to complain her clothes were difficult to remove and he seemed plenty happy with how she looked, she couldn't recall a single day he'd not told her she was beautiful since they had mated. Still, her ill-fitting underwear and somewhat immature styled clothes made her feel like she was still 13 instead of closing on 19.

She was a mated Dragon Slayer now, and according to the women of the guild, she had one of the sexiest men any of them had seen, there was nothing child-like or teenager looking about Cristoff and Wendy had been mortified not too long ago when a woman had asked him if his "daughter" would mind them going out. Cristoff had insisted the woman had meant to insult her and hadn't for a moment thought she looked like his daughter, but it had still horrified Wendy.

She didn't want to be seen that way, so she wanted to update her wardrobe and starting with the lingerie was fun, especially with Erza there, the woman was obsessed with lingerie.

Cana busted out a bottle of something that had Wendys throat burning when she took a sip of it and that started the days trend. The tried on things, bought things, went to lunch, drank until Wendy was grateful Lucy hooked arms with her for stability, shopped more, bought more, hunted down dresses for the club then returned with their prizes to Canas apartment that had once been Lucys.

They ordered Chinese, ate, drank more, helped each other get dressed and the topic just seemed to hover permanently around men, sex and all things related to romance.

With enough alcohol in her system Wendy found herself answering Cana and Miras rather dirty questions about Cristoff. At the club Cana asked the three women who were mated to their men if it were possible to have three ways.

"Seriously, I get your mans dick wont get hard for anyone but you but what if you were there, participating…would he be able to? Would it be possible?" She asked.

Levy laughed, she got really very giggly when she was drunk. "Gajeel would KILL any woman who tried to touch him but me, but in theory? Yes, if his mate were there to get him going, he could fuck another woman as long as his mate was right there and approved. I wouldn't…I don't share, I won't even let you touch his ass for your list Cana!" Levy snorted.

"What about you Lucy? Your man led a wicked life before you came along, think you'd try it?" Cana asked. Lucy almost spit her drink out shaking her head.

"Fuck no! Cobra hates being touched by anyone but me, no way he'd go for something like that!" She laughed.

"Wendy? Yours had a reputation for taking on more than one woman at a time before you two mated, think you could get him to try it?"Cana looked at Wendy closely, the young woman was wavering a little in her seat, she'd never had so much to drink in her entire life and was feeling utterly bold and wild.

"With the mating mark? I bet he'd do it, he'd fuck the hell out of another woman if I were right there encouraging him, you know he had four women down in Akane beach all at once for an entire night, and he did two on the train once so yeah, my Dragon isn't shy, and he's a fucking beast in bed, he could do it. One nice lick on his mark and he's insatiable!" She declared proudly.

She really was proud of her man. Hell, if he walked through this club in some tight jeans and a muscle shirt women would be throwing their panties at him and he was HERS, that muscled midnight eyed beast was hers and she knew he was incredible in bed. Not shy, Boscan for fucks sake!

"You even have a handle on him yet little sister? You took on one hell of a lot of man with him, you know how to make him loose it, just come apart while your touching him? I bet he'd be fun to suck off too." Cana grinned. The other woman were a little wide eyed, Levy changed the subject but Cana leaned close to Wendy who was blinking at her.

"Suck off?" Wendy asked uncertainly. Canas eyes widened "You have that sexy Adonis whos probably got a really nice dick and you haven't given him a blowjob yet?"

Now that did make the other women look surprised.

"I…I don't know…how." Wendy admitted, feeling just wretched about her lack of experience. This was probably something her mate would enjoy, another way she could lavish pleasure on him, he did so much for her, made love to her so many different ways, she knew how to position herself on top of him so he couldn't hold out, lost control of himself. Knew how to kiss him to make him moan, even knew how to touch him with her fingers to get him hard in a matter of moments.

"Ok, I'll admit that's something you should know how to do." Lucy said.

"Indeed, I admit to not having the experience Cana or Lucy have but I do know how to satisfy a man with my mouth." Erza said firmly.

"You suck Cobra off?" Wendy asked looking at Lucy with wide eyes.

Lucy smirked "Until he can't see straight."

She looked at Levy who giggled "I can make Gajeel purr." She declared.

Wendy frowned, she was a bad mate, her lack of experience was making her very very experienced mate go without something he probably did enjoy, something other women had probably done to him…

"Do you think…Cristoff has…"She started to ask and Lucy even snickered "Oh there's no doubt there." She said "I'm sure he's had a few women go down on him, gorgeous as he is. Hell, Cobras had them before me, but he says I am the only one whos worn him out with one."

"Gajeel too, I mean, Gods…he's got the most glorious…" Levy was holding her hands apart, giggling and trying to indicate size and shape with her hands "Pierced…it's like a piece of art really, I love it…and he said no woman has ever done a better job on him than I do!" Levy declared that proudly, high fiving Lucy who was also very proud of her prowess with her mate and certainty she satisfied him better than any other woman ever had.

"I..I want to learn how…" Wendy said. Cana handed her another drink and while Levy and Lucy and even Mira all took turns explaining the process, while Mira started ranting about the benefits of certain lubricants and comparing hand work to blowjobs Cana leaned in by Wendy again.

"I could teach you, seriously, best way to learn, we'll just go to your place, you convince Cristoff to accept me getting my hands on him, and I'll show you how to drive that man of yours crazy, none of the other women bring other women to their mates, you know yours already enjoys that, I'm your friend, we're Nakama, what sort of big sister would I be if I didn't help you make your man happy?" She offered.

Wendy was wide eyed, swallowing down the burning amber liquid Cana had handed her and nodding even when she felt this nagging doubt, felt the dragon in her recoil.

She'd hurt him over that very issue, broken his bones she'd punished him so thoroughly over it even knowing that to him he'd done nothing wrong. Maybe she was too influence by Charle and her propriety, her mate was from a different country and maybe she should try it, she wanted to make him happy, please him like he so thoroughly pleased her.

She trusted Cana, knew Cana did these sorts of things. Cristoff would probably be thrilled she was so bold. She wanted to live up to his desires.

Cana could teach her, she nodded at the smiling brunette and Cana grinned.

Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxxoxoxoxo

Cristoff had opted not to stay at Bickslows, though his brother had the space once they were through dinner and had played cards until they were all tired and decided to call it a night.

He'd sleep better in his own bed, surrounded by Wendys scent. If he could sleep at all. He'd spent nights away from her a couple of times now, they were still too newly mated for him to be comfortable with it yet. Figuring Gajeel and Levy were even more recently mated than he and Wendy were, he doubted Gajeel would get much sleep tonight either, but at least they'd finally completed the process.

He contemplated going to the guild and checking to see if the Iron Slayer were there, having another slayer sharing his discomfort could help the time pass, misery loved company after all. Laxus hadn't proceeded yet with Emma, so he wasn't feeling it like Cristoff was.

He was happy Wendy was out with the women, she'd been overjoyed at being invited. Bickslow and Laxus both had warned him these womens nights often ended up in trouble. Drunk women in a group seemed to come up with really wicked things.

Mira, Cana and Lucy had all caught Laxus walking home late from the guild during one of their little ladies nights and Laxus had been outright traumatized by the three of them all trying to get their hands under his clothes until he'd finally teleported the fuck out of their clutches.

They'd teased him for weeks about it too.

"Drunk women are dangerous, half of them get horny, Fucking Erza gets mean as hell AND Horny, Lucy, fuck she's handsy Levy too…never seen Wendy drunk…" Bickslow had admitted.

Laxus had frowned "I wouldn't want to." The Lightning Slayer declared firmly.

Cristoff wouldn't mind it, he'd bet his sexy little mate got pretty handsy and giggly.

He smirked as he walked into the house, locked the door and went back to the bedroom. Stripping down to his boxer-briefs he laid back on the bed and drew a breath.

He knew the others still saw Wendy in this odd super innocent angelic light, especially the other Dragon Slayers, but he knew better. Wendy was a grown woman who had seen and experienced a lot, too much to be the pure little child so many refused to stop seeing her as.

The truth was, in private, Wendy was as aggressive in bed as he was, initiating things just as often as he did. She was learning eagerly too. Just the night before he'd gone down on her for the first time, he wasn't sure why he'd not done it sooner, he certainly liked doing it and was very good at it, but she'd been so enamored with…well…his cock being inside her. She loved sex, and just eagerly sought him being inside of her.

So, they had played with positions, he'd taught her how to move herself on him, how to really use his body for her pleasure and how to use hers to drive him out of his mind.

She eagerly tried everything, loved his body as much as he loved hers but when they slowed down, she wanted him close, on top of her, where she could kiss him, and he had to admit, he loved looking into her eyes, holding her soft thighs while he made love to her. The more skin touching the happier they both were it seemed.

He was fine with that, he'd had his fill of kink with Princess Kurino and her handmaids at the Embassy for the two weeks leading up to him finally getting to leave for Magnolia. He was still amazed he'd been able to heal all of the whip and chain marks and leave no scars behind.

He'd tried a lot of things, been with a lot of women, but had never been exposed to the twisted things the first Princess of Bosco enjoyed. He'd handled it all, even enjoyed some of it once the initial shock was past.

He'd handled the succubi pretty well too, that first mission with Wendy in Sirotsumi had left a mark on her though. Her lack of reaction, lack of forceful reaction and initial refusal to potentially hurt the women attacking them, had led to him getting captured because he'd been distracted trying to keep Wendy from getting killed and the women were only interested in him in the first place, they were succubi, Wendy was an obstacle, but Cristoff was a prize.

They'd gotten their drugs into him, the knife he'd taken to his back had been laced heavily with some, once he was down they'd injected far more as they had chased Wendy clear out of the caverns they had taken residence in under the town.

Once he'd been drugged and placed in magic cancelling manacles they had drug him into their ritual chamber, stripped him, and when Wendy had come roaring back in, finally infuriated enough to really fight at her full potential, she'd found them using him, he had been chained to a thigh high platform and they were taking turns on him.

He had been more "with it" than they had believed, he could hear Wendy fighting her way back in and wanted to be able to fight once she got to him so he'd played at being more out of it than he really was.

It hadn't been easy, succubi drugs were pretty serious and their magic was too, but former experiences when he was younger had left him with a particularly strong resistance to their magic so only the drugs really worked on him.

They were wearing him down, or thought they were, then one would try to set her claim into him, turn him into a mindless puppet, a toy.

Wendy had burst into the chamber and seen what the women were doing and Cristoff had finally gotten to see what the Sky Slayer was capable when she let loose.

None of the women in the chamber had survived and Wendy had removed the shackles on him and, crying like an idiot, helped him heal his injuries and clear the drugs out of his system so he could think straight. He'd been a little…submissive, for a day or two after that, but had gotten back to his usual self pretty quickly considering.

So yes, Cristoff had quite a history, Bickslows was similar though, also being a mage and a Boscan. But all together, he was happy to be settling down, committed to a wonderful warm hearted woman he did respect.

Sex with lots of women was fun, but Wendy fulfilled him, satisfied him on every level. She was all he wanted or needed, with or without dragon magic involved.

Smirking slightly, well…the mating marks sure were fun…

He was about to drift off, partially had when he heard the front door open and close. Going still he enhanced his senses and relaxed, Wendy, he could feel it was her, good, now he'd be able to sleep if she weren't so drunk she was throwing up or something.

He remained still, until he realized he didn't just hear one set of footsteps…

"Watch…" Wendy whispered, slurring the word a little and Cristoff was about to sit up when his whole body was consumed by pleasure…Wendy had licked her finger and was swirling it around on the mark he'd made on her neck. That one didn't hit him as hard as when she ran her tongue over the one she'd made on his neck, but it still left him writhing and gasping.

"Oh my God…woman, that's too fun…" He heard…Cana? He was pre-occupied. Wendy was on the bed now, throwing a dress off to the side, and when he managed to get his eyes open and look at her just the sight of her overwhelmed him.

He was used to cute bows, little pastel bras and panties, but his mate was in black and silver lace, her full breasts beautifully held in a see through combination of laces that shimmered against her creamy skin. The little matching panties, then a garter belt holding up thigh high fishnets…

Cristoff was struck dumb for a few moments.

Long enough for his eager mate to climb on top of him, flinging the blankets aside and lunging down to clamp her lips over the mark on his neck.

The marks triggered dragon lust, were that way so they could let each other know they were wanting, to enhance their experiences together. They were more than just clear visual proof that they had mated.

Touching the one on you sent pleasure, stimulation, to the one who set the mark, but doing what Wendy was doing to the mark she had set on Cristoff guaranteed he would be ready to fulfill her desires, he'd be triggered, sent into full dragon lust and just about mindless with it if Wendy really worked the mark.

He'd taught her that, shown her how they worked, how she could control him with it.

And she was using it to its fullest potential.

By the time she sat back, he had damn near cum from her assault and was breathing raggedly, eyes hazed over with lust.

He lunged up, kissing her, sucking at the skin by his mark on her.

"Why…is…Cana here?" He gasped out when she bent and ran her tongue over the mark again.

"She's going to show me…how to please you better…you like more than one woman…I know you do…I want you to be happy…"She said between kisses and was pulling his briefs down, he felt Cana climb onto the bed with them and alarms went through him.

This wasn't Wendy, she was drunk, he could smell the alcohol, it almost overpowered her usual sweet floral and wind scent.

She'd been so clear she didn't want to share him, that she hated even seeing him with other women before they were committed to each other. Why would she bring another woman, especially one like Cana into their bed?

He was struggling to get his head clear, would he be willing to indulge her if she wanted him and another woman in bed? Of course he would, he might question her some, since the whole monogamy and possessiveness of her dragon had been so painfully established when she had claimed him. But that was something he would accept if she came to him sober and serious.

He was pulled to his knees, his mate latched on the mark, pressing her body against his, he felt Canas hands pushing his boxer-briefs down and her touch actually helped his head clear.

"Wendy…you…you're drunk.." He protested, trying to catch her hands, one was already caressing his solid erection, the other was in his hair, holding him tightly so her lips could remain over his mark.

Canas hands were starting to roam his body and when he felt her press in and run her tongue over his hip, one hand sliding up his thigh his head cleared.

He caught Wendys wrist and jerked back from her grasp, ignoring the painful yank to his hair she was clutching. He looked into her eyes, they were almost vacant and she was wobbly. He growled, understanding finally dawning on him. At his threatening growl Wendys eyes widened, she understood the different growls and rumbles that came from a Dragon Slayer, this wasn't a pleased sound he made, it was a pure serious, warning coming from a pissed off dragon.

Even in her drunken bordering losing consciousness state, Wendy instinctively knew she'd crossed a line and he wasn't happy. She recoiled, whimpering and looked pleadingly up at him and he bared his teeth at her.

All the while Cana was engrossed in enjoying the tall muscular body of the man kneeling on the bed before her, she'd not gotten to touch him even once until this moment. She'd wanted him, from the moment she'd first met him a couple of years ago she'd wanted to get the Lunar Slayer in bed.

Bickslow was an incredible lover, and had a body that was mouthwatering, lithe, nimble, sensual and so very very skilled. She knew a lot of that was because he was Boscan, so meeting his brother, knowing that same lusty skill in bed was there but in the muscled powerhouse packaging Cristoff offered? Yes please.

Long black hair that wasn't unruly like Gajeels, Cristoff didn't have the feral dangerous look Gajeel had, he was a little more elegant, his hair hung in smooth shining thick layers he kept at a length that was just beneath the top of his shoulders. He wasn't quite the hulking monster Laxus was, but there was no denying he was a beast of a man.

That Wendy had landed him, bedded him, got to enjoy all of the tanned smooth skin stretched over bulging rock-hard muscle Cristoff had to offer was something Cana would forever be jealous of. Cristoff had just been so busy on his visits, had been whisked off by Bickslow every time and she'd never had the chance she wanted.

He'd flirted back at her when she'd gotten a few minutes here and there but she'd never been able to lay so much as a finger on the man. But Wendy wanted to learn, Cana could teach, and Gods did she plan to enjoy what she got to teach on. She heard his growl, it was sexy as hell too.

Her hands were moving over such a wonderful expanse of masculine flesh Canas mouth was watering looking at the rigid erection she was going to get to "teach" Wendy on. She was sliding her hand up his thigh to get her first feel of him when she heard Wendys odd little whimper it seemed out of place though and then she was grabbed by the arm and firmly shoved from the bed.

When Cana picked herself up off the floor "hey I'm all for some rough…." She started but fell silent.

Cristoff had Wendy by her hair, bent over backwards and was leaning over her staring into her eyes, his sharp fangs bared. He whispered something and Cana saw Wendy go limp, Cristoff laying her gently on the bed then suddenly she was under very angry dark eyes.

"You need to go home." He snarled, reaching down he pulled his boxer-briefs back up, not shy at all about adjusting his burgeoning erection so he could slide off the bed to his feet. He didn't bother to try and cover himself, just glared at her.

"Hey I was invited…" Cana began to protest but his growl didn't sound sexy this time, it sent a chill through her when combined with eyes that were turning silver.

"You took advantage of my mate." Cristoff said in a low deadly tone. Cana swallowed, getting to her feet, he let her edge past him to the door and out but followed her through the house.

"I didn't do anything, she wanted to please you but is embarrassed by how little she knows, she wanted to learn a few things and I offered to teach her." She said defensively.

"You used my mate, took advantage of Wendy so you could get into our bed and get your hands on me." He snapped.

She glared at him, yanking the front door of the house open and almost falling over, she'd had a LOT to drink, even for her. "She was all for it! All because she knows you were fucking two or more women at a time and enjoying it, she only wanted to please you, you fucking ass. I offered to help her out because yeah..I'd love to fuck you, I won't lie about that, but I wouldn't hurt Wendy." She slurred several words, something she usually didn't do.

"Yet you did…go home Cana, you've "helped" enough for one night." He watched her step out the door, stagger down the street and around the corner heading for her own home and he drew a breath.

Glancing back toward the bedroom he frowned. It took him just a few minutes to pull on track pants and a t-shirt, grab his pack and then he left the house, locking the door behind him and heading for his brothers.

He was unable to think, Wendy had hurt him, broken bones claiming him because she wanted no woman but her to have him, he had accepted the punishment without complaint. She'd thrown it in his face a few times since they had mated, each time he'd apologized again, admitted he'd hurt her and that he was sorry he had. Reassured her every way he knew how he'd never stray from her, she had no need to worry.

Then this.

Yes she was drunk but he wasn't sure that was enough to get completely past her morals and inner dragon, who was, a possessive ruthless bitch.

He wasn't sure how to take it. Needed to think. And knew being close to her he'd just curl up with her in his arms and let it go, but if this was going to be an issue, he needed to figure out how to confront it.

Bickslow answered the door in his boxers blinking in confusion at him but when Cristoff said Wendy came home drunk his brother stepped aside and followed him into the kitchen.

"Need a beer?" Bix offered.

Cristoff shook his head and explained what had happened, sitting at the table and staring at the dark ebony wood surface of it blankly.

"Shit." Bickslow sat heavily at the other end of the table. In spite of what he'd said to make Wendy feel better he'd seen what she had done to Cristoff when she'd claimed him, and he hadn't envied his brother that experience one bit.

Had Cristoff been anything but the Dragon Slayer he was, Wendy would have killed him. Made him really worry for their sister Emzadi.

"Cana, well…you know I've been with her plenty, we seem to hook up whenever one of us gets the urge and doesn't want to chase after anyone else. She's a good person but I've seen her go bat shit nuts on these ladies night things before." Bickslow sighed.

Cristoff shifted, leaning on the table "I just don't understand how it came to happen, she's possessive, jealous. Is it somehow different with Nakama? I mean, I'm still somewhat new to Fiore, in Bosco it wouldn't be odd but here…I thought it was." He said.

"Naw, it's odd, you think Lucy or Levy would bring Cana home to have a three way with Cobra or Gajeel? Fuck, Cana would be lucky to make it out of the house alive. And Wendy loves you, I mean, she's been fucking glowing since you two mated." Bickslow said.

"So why now? I mean, I haven't said anything about wishing I could do something like that, I've been pretty careful to be clear I'm happy without it." Cristoff groaned, sitting back again and shoving his hands through his hair in frustration.

"I can't fix something when I don't know where it's broken." He said.

Bickslow stood "Well, it's fucking 3am, get some sleep, let Wendy sober up and talk to her."

Cristoff nodded, rising, grabbing his pack and heading up stairs.

"Workout, 7am?" Bix asked. "Leg day."

Cristoff smirked "I'll sweat out some frustration, yeah…I'm in." He agreed.

Bickslow went down the hall and Cristoff went to one of the guest rooms upstairs, hearing Laxus snoring away.

He doubted he'd sleep, but at least he could lay down and rest…after he showered… because he felt…dirty.

Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxxoo

The following morning he went with Bickslow and Laxus to the guild gym and as planned, sweat out his frustration on weights. Once he was showered and dressed again he glanced at the clock, 9am.

His sleep spell had full hold for 8 hours then it would start to release her. So she'd be waking up in about an hour. He wasn't sure yet exactly what he was going to say to her, he'd give her time to wake up and get her bearings and just stay over at Bickslows, she'd know where he was, he could certainly feel her, knew she was still at home and the deep calm coming from her was clearly sleep.

Sitting across from Bickslow again at the table by the kitchen a short time later he contemplated his brother.

"I don't know what I'm going to say to her…I need to know…" His voice trailed off.

By his far away look Bickslow knew Cristoff had to be sensing something and honing in on that so held his tongue.

Wendy was awake, as soon as she sat up and looked around the bedroom the headache, nausea, and after effects of her over indulgence the night before were shoved aside as memories that were too painfully clear flooded her.

Her hands flew to her mouth and a strangled sob escaped her "What did I do?" She whimpered. Looking around she could see it as if it were happening, running her finger over the mark on her neck, feeling so satisfied when Cristoff couldn't even sit up as the impact of her use of the mark hit his body.

He'd writhed on the bed, the dark sheets falling down his body and she could smell Canas arousal beside her.

Something about the idea of a woman she respected, older than her, who had access to so many handsome strong men wanted HER mate like this made Wendy feel powerful and that feeling was intoxicating. So glancing at Cana, seeing the womans eyes riveted on the black haired mage in the bed Wendy reached down and ripped the blankets aside.

Canas soft gasp made her smile and she climbed over Cristoffs tall body like a predator, he met her eyes, his full of passion hazed confusion now "Why is…Cana..here?" He asked, she didn't let him say more, latching her lips over the mark on his neck, feeling him losing control over his body as she took it from him.

She explained Cana was there to teach her.

She kept up a steady assault on him using the marks that gave her the ability to force his reactions. The power, the dominance, it was what he liked wasn't it? Yet he was struggling, accused her of being drunk, but Cana was trying to help!

The woman was on the bed, had her hands on Cristoff, was kissing the wolf tattoo on his hip, running her tongue over it…Wendys dragon recoiled but Wendy over rode it, Cana was Nakama and was helping her. Cristoff liked women, Cana was gorgeous, experienced, with her help Wendy could drive her mate into the deepest most powerful depths of pleasure and she wanted to do that.

She wanted to prove she was capable, that she was a woman not an inexperienced one either, she could bring him everything he could ever want.

But he'd fought it, more than resisted he'd warned her, his deep growl shattering her confidence that she had made a good choice he would like.

Then he'd growled again when she'd tried to lunge in and get to the mark, caught her by her hair, bent her over and bared his long fangs at her.

In that moment, all of her mates strength, his dominance, it had been clear, he had spoiled her since they had mated, been so affectionate, so sweet and indulgent she had forgotten just how sharp his fangs were, just how much stronger than her he really was.

Then he'd whispered the spell she'd seen him bring a Berserker down with on her. He wasn't there with her.

The house was empty…she could feel him, he wasn't far away, but she could also feel the powerful defensive barrier keeping her from sensing more than just his presence that had not been there before. She'd luxuriated in being able to sense his emotions, between them it was so much stronger than it was with normal Slayers because of their added empathic ability from their healing magic.

The absence of that, not being able to feel him, know even if he was happy, sad, angry…the vacuum left in the wake of its presence for the last few weeks brushed in on her and drew soul wrenching sobs from her.

She'd hurt him…she had broken his very bones driving home the point that he was hers and she would not share him, that he was to accept her claim on him, her exclusive possession of him mind body and soul.

He had accepted it, willingly taken all she had dished out, she knew beyond her jealous possessiveness from her dragon soul that what he had done had no significance, those women to him had been nothing but stress relief, he got the same emotional investment going to have his hair cut.

She knew how much she meant to him. Yet she'd needed to make it clear, and he'd let her do it, had taken it without complaint.

After all of that, what she had done…even though in her alcohol addled mind it had seemed to make sense when she'd done it…was a betrayal.

How could Cana have even gone along with it? She shook her head, no, this wasn't Canas fault, she had brought the woman here, she'd been the one to suggest and then use their mating marks…of all things the symbols of their bond to each other, to control him, try to convince him to just hand himself over to whatever she and their guildmate wanted to do with him.

No…she hadn't tried to convince him…she'd tried to force him.

What she'd done, no matter her intentions was horrible…unforgivable and she was dying inside with the guilt.

She looked down at the sexy lingerie she still wore, she'd wanted to impress him with all she'd bought, seduce him, knew he'd like it, he loved everything she did…but not this.

She angrily started tearing the lace from herself, hurling it away from her, sobbing.

"Wendy." The deep voice broke her out of her self-destructive spiral and she froze.

Cristoff stood in the doorway to the bedroom, breathing a little harder than usual because he'd just sprinted over from Bickslows house.

Midnight colored eyes, Gods she adored his eyes, like looking at the night sky complete with tiny flecks of silver like stars.

"Tell me why…" He said, his voice impossible to read, she felt only barriers and her own grief and remorse.

She wanted to run to him feel his arms around her, but knew she didn't deserve that…he was her mate, he couldn't leave her…but he could deny her all the affection, love and attention she had been basking in since they had mated.

She'd read about Slayers stuck with mates that had hurt them somehow, that they could live out their long lives never touching their mate again, just live near them and keep enough interaction to retain their health and survival.

Did he want that? Was what she'd done bad enough? She had no idea, suddenly her youth, her inexperience, was leaving her desperate for answers she didn't even know where to look for.

"I…I've never had so much to drink…I…the whole night everyone talked about men, sex, things they did for their men that made them happy and I didn't understand because we haven't done some of those things and…" She was gaining momentum and Cristoff relaxed inwardly.

His mate was inexperienced, had been sheltered from things by her overprotective exceed and guild mates and suddenly thrust into the middle of what sounded like one of his sisters damn slumber parties where they were daring each other to do bizarre things with their boyfriends and such.

There had been no malice, no anger, nothing but his mate wanting to fit in.

He suppressed a smile, still, she'd been hypocritical and he meant to point it out. Maybe spare himself her little jabs about what he'd done the first year they knew each other.

"So, while you broke my bones, have on more than one occasion made comments about what I did before we were committed to each other especially the trysts involving more than one woman, something you seemed furious about when I did it. You bring Cana here, overpower me by abusing our mating marks, strip me naked in front of another woman and start sharing me, your mate, with her and it's ok because you were drunk, something you gave me hell over was suddenly something you wanted to try because the other women were talking about it?" He leaned on the doorframe, narrowing his eyes, keeping himself shielded from her. His brother was a Seith mage, he knew how to prevent her from reaching his emotional state even with a soul bond firmly in place between them.

"No! They weren't talking about sharing men…it was…blowjobs…all of them do that for their men…Cana taught Lucy and Levy and said she could teach me and the best way to do it was with you to learn on…" Wendy cringed, God that sounded horrible now that she was sober. It had sounded so good at the club…

Cristoff had to fight with himself, draw a deep breath and look hard at his boots to keep from showing her just how badly he wanted to laugh right then.

Wendy took his reaction as disgust and hung her head.

"Learn ON huh?…you know, since it's me you want to please, my body you want to pleasure that way, wouldn't it be better to learn from me?" He asked.

She looked up, for the first time hoping maybe he didn't just hate her.

She caught it then, as hard as he was trying to hide it from her, one corner of his mouth was tipped up and there was amusement in those dark blue eyes.

"I..I guess maybe yeah…" She replied.

He nodded "We haven't gotten there yet, I really did plan to show you, but we always seem to get a little absorbed in other things…I showed you what I can do with my mouth…" He was smirking now, Wendy smiled, wiping the tears from her cheeks.

"And I want to learn how to do things for you." Wendy said.

"You picked Cana to teach you…" He pushed off the doorframe and came into the room, standing at the foot of the bed.

"I was drunk." Wendy smiled faintly, moving to the foot of the bed and sitting in front of him, risking touching his leg.

"Weak excuse, I'll forgive you on one condition." He smiled.

"Anything." Wendy said.

"Not one more comments about what I did before we were promised to each other." He said firmly.

"Agreed." Wendy was searching his smiling face when she felt the barriers go and the feel of him came back, the vacuum suddenly gone in a rush that brought more tears to her face.

"Now, how about we work on a lesson?" He offered.

Xoxoxoxoxoxxoxoxoxxoxoxoxoxxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxxoxoxoxoxo

"We have until summer, whether it's the beginning of summer or the middle or end we don't know, all we know is there is a threat to Shirotsume like what happened in Hargeon planned for the summer." Laxus said.

He was sitting in the Boscan embassy in Crocus. None too pleased about what was facing him right now. Across from him sat the King of Fiore, Princess Hisui, Princess Kurino of Bosco, Arman Pradesh Chief Ambassador of Bosco and The High Knight of the Boscan Holy Order.

"As I said, starting a business there, staffing it with our people would be the best idea to put people in place ahead of time. I've already had Hisui look into it." The King said proudly. He liked his idea, and using a business as a front for their operations had worked very well in Hargeon.

"Yes, I looked into the economic reports for the area and tourism is the primary business with some farming and ranching down farther from the town itself. Shirotsume has seen some impressive growth the last 5 years and the hotels there are almost always booked solid sometimes a month or more in advance. The rail line now runs to the town and that was just completed 8 months ago so it's guaranteed to increase the tourism there. I procured a good sized chunk of land near one of the natural springs, a hotspring spa and resort could be completed using mage construction methods within a month so I have already put that into motion. We will staff the resort with our own people." Hisui stated.

She laid down renderings and blue prints for a large resort and Laxus sighed. The kingdom was secretly paying for this, so if it were leveled in an attack, at least no citizen would be out the costs.

"Mr. Dreyar will oversee the completion of the resort and organize the staff?" Princess Kurino asked. Hisui nodded and Laxus bit back a groan. He had gotten one bite into Emma, one, and he had been so busy, called away to Crocus time and time again, that it had faded before he could set another. The Raijinshuu hadn't been out on a mission in ages because he kept telling them he just wanted a week with Emma before they did but he never made it a week before something came up and he was rushing off here or there.

He wanted Emma, knew he did, the woman was a fucking genius, beautiful, tough, calm and she could organize things like nobody he'd ever seen in his life. She laughed about it, said as an alchemist and potion master, timing and organization, precision, all of it was crucial.

As a Boscan, she was also bold, daring, nearly fearless. Not completely, she really hated spiders, even though she purchased their venom and had to keep a couple in her shop to "milk" for rare venom, something she usually begged Cobra to do since he was so good with the snakes she kept.

He was, for all intents and purposes, working as a co-guild master with his grandfather now and felt the need stronger than he ever had to settle down. Emma was just about a dream come true for him.

Everyone in the guild had accepted her, enjoyed her company because she was so calm and easygoing (something Laxus was realizing was a common trait in Boscans) and she calmed him, soothed him, being around him made him feel…grounded, like he wasn't going to fly apart in the next thunderstorm.

Still, while he hated that he didn't get to go home, the good thing was he could staff the resort as he saw fit…so he'd be talking to Emma, seeing if she could put the potion shop in Lisanna and Wendys hands for a little while and come to Shirotsumi to help him.

"So then, our plan is simple. Laxus will go immediately to Shirotsumi, we will put him in place as the owner of the resort and he can oversee its construction and start bringing in his staff. We can use the resort as cover to hide our fortifying of Shirotsumi and preparations for its defense." Hisui said.

It was agreed and they completed their meeting, Laxus placed on the a train less than an hour later bound for Shirotsumi.


	24. Chapter 24 Shirotsume

A/N...Ok, it's late, my husband is complaining, but I had to get this posted! I have so much storyline yet to cover it's driving me crazy. I hope you're all feeling this, there are times I cringe as I'm writing certain sections...DESNA

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxxoxoxoxoxoxo

Construction normally was a slow process. With normal workers a large facility that could accommodate up to 200 guests, had a hot spring spa, indoor pool, bar/club and restaurant could take up to two years.

Hargeon had also gotten most of the best companies Fiore had to offer busy at work rebuilding homes and businesses etc.

With the Wizards available though, if the money was there to pay them, such a task could be completed in a couple of months.

Laki and Redus were the first two brought up, then Gajeel and Levy. Freed was shortly behind because Laxus wanted every piece of the resort built with rune enhancements, protections, wards, everything they could do to make it into a fortress that didn't look like one.

Cristoff was called up next, he knew enchanting, and could place enchantments into wood and rock that made them resistant to dark magic.

When the lacrima went off he and Wendy were curled up on their couch with Charle asleep in the wingchair.

Since Laxus' departure, everyone knew to be expecting these calls. Cristoff and Wendy had been doing a great deal of work on their relationship too. Wendys magic wasn't all his mate needed help with.

Inexperienced, sheltered, repressed, she needed confidence, and to figure out who she was as a woman now that the guild was finally starting to embrace the idea she had grown up.

Coming from the back ground he had Cristoff was at a loss, women where he came from just didn't have problems like this, the culture nurtured them too well, encouraged them to be strong from a young age.

So he hadn't been around these sorts of things and, as a man, really had no idea how to help beyond being supportive, patient, and keeping his sense of humor handy.

He'd had a long talk with Wendy about what had happened with Cana too.

The talk had left Wendy reeling, seeming more confused than ever so he had backed off and not brought any of it up again, once more trying to let her set the pace of things so she had time to think.

Wendy was thinking too, going into an almost Lucy mode of overthinking. Laying with Cristoff on the couch watching some mindless show she reflected again on their talk and tried to get some handle on how she felt.

"So if you want to act out some fantasy, tell me. I'm your mate Wendy, I want you happy." He'd pulled her against him, molded her to his tall hard body and she'd sighed, his lips trailing over her cheek.

"I am yours, any way you want me Wendy, you have only to ask." Then he'd been kissing her again and clothes had started falling on the floor and the conversation had ended like so many of them did.

Still newly mated meant a large part of their lives revolved around that, the building of their bond. Some Dragon slayers would just go away, vanish for a few months, take their mates far from all distractions.

It was such a powerful need, what she felt for him all of the time. He assured her his need for her was just as strong.

So now she was all over the place. Being young she wanted adventure. She had a mate she knew was adventurous, he'd certainly never tried to hide that from her. He assured her he was happy, that she didn't need to try things if it made her uncomfortable, and he never suggested anything. Hell, she was still learning what Cana said were the very bare bone basics of the physical side of a relationship, even with Dragon Lust built into the scenario.

She'd heard so much, seen a lot too. The older dragon slayers weren't discreet, until they started settling down there were plenty of times she'd been on missions with various other people and teams and seen and heard PLENTY of their adult activities.

Dragon hearing didn't have an off switch and Fairy Tail had more than its fair share of…well…sexually active and eager young mages. And Wendy had pretty much grown up listening to and ending up having things happen in front of her.

A little touch of a voyeur had developed.

But she wanted Cristoff to herself, that hadn't changed at all. They were mated, he loved her, she definitely loved him. Yet when Cana had been so enraptured, so turned on by him Wendys whole being had swelled with pride and she'd gotten even more driven to have him, show the woman how he responded to her, loved her.

It had to be wrong, Charle would have lost her mind if she knew, fortunately, she'd stayed with Gajeel and Lily that night and they had avoided talking about it around her.

Wendy had wanted a mate, had wanted all of this, the love both emotional and sexual for a long time. She'd known there was someone out there perfect for her and she'd found him, or he'd found her.

She wriggled a little, laying on top of a hard muscled dragon slayer was something she was quickly getting used to, the less separating her from his skin was also important.

So she hand undone the buttons of his shirt, shoved the offending material out of her way and happily staked out her spot with her head tucked nicely beneath his chin and one of his arms around her.

She had time, she wasn't sure why she always felt she needed to rush to figure things out, to make decisions, maybe it was because Charle had pressured her so much not to procrastinate.

There was no need to sort out every feeling, want, need desire immediately, breathing in his wonderful scent, rubbing her cheek against his chest, she traced the cross tattooed over his heart. Symbol of his status as a knight of the Holy Order in Bosco.

When the lacrima sounded they both tensed and Cristoff stretched out an arm to pluck his from the coffee table. Laxus looked at them and smirked.

"Hi Wendy, sorry to interrupt but this is Cristoffs call, I need him up here. I want to enchant the resort layer by layer and we've got the foundation and all of the framing complete so first layer is almost built, I need him up here pronto, I thought we'd be a few more days but this crew we got…shit they're fast." The Lightning slayer said.

Wendy drew a breath, she'd been dreading this, knew it was coming. They wouldn't go up there together, Laxus wanted her up there, but until the medical wing was ready, she would be staying in Magnolia, she'd go on jobs with Bickslow, be watched over by Bickslow while Cristoff was gone.

They'd already worked those details out, knowing this day was coming. Fairy Tail couldn't flood into Shirotsume, that would look too suspicious, make people start asking too many questions.

So they were going up as needed, so that their presence was justified and couldn't be questioned.

"Allright, I'll be on the 6am train." Cristoff said and Laxus nodded, the lacrima going dark.

Wendy shifted on top of him, looking down into his dark eyes. "I miss you already…" She sighed. His hands slid up her thighs, fingers massaging into her skin as they did.

"Show me what you'll miss…" He whispered.

Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

Laxus heaved a sigh, Emma was being stubborn, the shop in Magnolia was busy, people travelled there now from the surrounding towns and villages to buy the things Emma was able to make better than anyone else they had found.

She had doctors, people suffering incurable illnesses that relied on her and she wasn't going to come up to Shirotsume and entrust those people to an inexperienced Wendy or Lisanna.

She wanted to be with Laxus, that the mark had faded away because he'd been gone and then when home unable to spend time with her had left them both deflated and frustrated.

Still, she was a Fairy Tail mage now, ran the guilds most profitable and respected side business and, she reasoned (way too well for Laxus' comfort) that her dropping this and running up to Shirotsume to sit around doing nothing waiting for a resort to be built that wasn't supposed to be linked directly to a guild, would draw suspicion.

She'd now been featured in sorcerers weekly as the top potion master in Fiore, something that had gotten even more attention on her business. She'd become high profile. While she could go up when the resort was finished, work to stock it with health and calming potions and elixirs, there was no way she could vanish from her business in Magnolia without drawing unwanted attention.

The Gran Doma himself now ordered all of his arthritis potions, stomach elixirs and wrinkle creams from her (he was a vain man, his orders were more for appearance aids than health products). Jet had become a full time employee handling her deliveries and shipping needs.

She'd been offered a job with the Council, which she had politely declined, and her and Laxus, while they were not mating yet, had become engaged. Needing to put some sort of claim on her, he'd finally come into the shop as she was scrambling to open one morning and he was on his way off to another important meeting with someone and with Lisanna and (unfortunately) Mira batting heart filled eyes at the scene, he'd proposed to her.

His grandmothers ring now was on Emmas finger and Makarov had let Sorcerers weekly have the pictures Mira had taken so it was made clear to the council, before they tried something underhanded to wrench Emma away, she had serious reasons for staying they couldn't mess with.

Gajeel had of course, teased Laxus in Bickslows absence, unable to resist. Because he'd actually made Levy his mate, she proudly bore his mark on her neck just below her left ear and it was plenty dark thank you very much, he made certain they had time together.

The mark, when first set, was pale, hard to see, but the stronger the bond, the darker it got until it was a rich deep black in the mates skin. His name in draconic along with the draconic symbols for him magic were a deep dark near black color now.

Levy was happy, so was Gajeel. He worked hard alongside the construction team. His iron and other metals would be used throughout the resort because he could infuse them with protections.

Levy was standing near Laki, she and Freed were laying down runes into every single piece of timber going into the place, it was exhausting work, the pace was brutal, but they pushed themselves hard because it was what everyone was doing.

The mages here, building this place, were all incredibly skilled. Between Hisui and Kurino they had combined the best both countries could offer without taking away from the reconstruction happening in Hargeon.

Levy was enjoying working alongside the Boscan mages, so was Gajeel, who seriously had fun comparing metal with the two metal make mages sent from Juna, the Boscan capitol.

Laki was working alongside two other woodmake mages, and there were rock shaping mages too.

When Cristoff arrived, there was a little impromptu party, all of the Boscan mages knew him since many were from his former guild White Sea and it seemed the best of the best mages in Bosco seemed to be in that guild.

As he dug into getting enchantments laid down that covered all of the elements the others hovered, when he finished an area the mages moved in to progress in that areas construction. It was moving fast.

As Laxus oversaw everything he made a decision. When it was time to remodel Fairy Tail, they were doing this exact same kind of construction. They could build a guild hall that could hold up better if they used these methods, not to mention the security features going into this place were just incredible.

It also occurred to him that the resort could be a shelter to the people of Shirotsume if they couldn't stop whatever attacked the town fast enough, and he had made alterations to the plans to allow for that.

Being pushed as hard as they were, all of the mages crashed each night. Lodging started out in an inn, then when the first wing of the resort was done they just moved into it even though walls still needed painting and some fixtures weren't in. once plumbing was done, lighting, it was enough for cots to go into rooms until flooring and painting then finally furniture happened.

The days rolled into each other, hard labor did that, from before the sun rose until long after it set everyone worked.

The locals were delighted by the new resort going in, even the owner of the inn they stayed at at first. He hated turning people away like he had to every year when the peak season started. That was another thing, February and March were the off season for the area, springtime tourists coming for the beauty of the area, some hiking and maybe mountain climbing weren't there yet and the skiing season was over with the thaw starting making the slopes unsafe by March.

Many of the locals were looking forward to the nightclub the resort would feature as well as its indoor pool and spa. So they had the support of the locals. Yes a few were worried their own business' might suffer a little, with the rail line in they'd had a bumper year of skiing tourists and seen far too many people unable to vacation there because of a lack of accommodations.

Days pushed into weeks and Laxus looked up as Cristoff, Gajeel and Levy all came to the table he was sitting at in the now finished restaurant. The trio about dropped into chairs, Levy Laxus understood, but seeing the two slayers looking beat drove home just how hard everyone was working.

They quietly thanked Kinana, who had come up a few days ago to start running the kitchen. The resort was now housing and feeding all of its "employees" and everyone was settled into rooms that were finished, luxuriously too. Hisui and Kurino had insisted, since this place would probably be around a long time if things went right, it should be a proper resort where both princess' would be happy to stay.

Cristoff had taken over seeing to the completion of the clinic, which was another thing the townspeople were thrilled to see going in. When word got out about Cristoff being a healer, keeping people out became a problem too and he'd started going into town every two days to help the aging doctor who ran the old medical center in town.

When they were a week away from being able to open, Laxus talked with Makarov in some depth about who he would pull up to Shirotsume and it was agreed they would send quite a few, it just made sense, the better prepared they were, the less likely they would loose to whatever was coming.

So that call went out and Laxus fell in beside Cristoff, heading for the train station. Both men looking forward to seeing the people coming, though Laxus was still left without Emma, since she couldn't leave Magnolia. Wendy would set everything up, and was bringing up several large cases full of things to stock the clinic with.

"Have you and the master talked about making this a branch guild operation?" Cristoff asked as they walked down the road toward the station.

The sun was setting, there was still snow in places and the air had a distinct bite to it because March wasn't giving up yet.

It was something Cristoff had brought up a few weeks ago, that the guild should buy the place out, it had already invested in it. White Sea had holdings, kept business' and such especially in the city that bore the guilds name. Income just from festivals, a gift shop and the lucrative potion shop were great, but a holding like this resort would benefit Fairy Tail immensely, plus give the guild a branch position in the north. Something Fairy Tail hadn't done since before Tenrou had happened and the guild had lost all of its holdings.

Laxus smirked "I'm ahead of you, gramps is already working a deal with the King and the Princess to buy them out, Hisui is actually the only one holding out, says she wants to keep a piece of it because she loves the area so much. We've already made arrangements with Kurino, Fairy Tail owns ¾ of the place already." He grinned and Cristoff laughed. "Glad to hear it. I have a feeling it's going to do well if Shirotsume…lasts." He added the last part softly.

"Yeah, I get that feeling too." Laxus said.

Wendy accidentally kicked Lucy…again. "Sorry!" She sighed, frowning, she was anxious…antsy. Over a month separated from Cristoff had been as close to hell as she ever wanted to get.

Talking to him most nights helped but a lacrima image just didn't cut it. She wanted to be held, wanted to kiss him….and a lot of other things.

Lucy just laughed, leaning on Cobra, glad for the hundredth time the last two months neither of them had been called up. Sure of the mated pairs they had been together the longest, and if Wendy had survived, Lucy was sure she could have too, but the idea of Cobra being out of her reach for that long sent a shudder through her and not a pleasant one.

Hell she felt deprived they hadn't been able to engage in their usual fun on a train this trip. The Train through Shirotsumi didn't provide private compartments yet, though it was to be upgraded before next season when it would finally link up with the line that ran from Onibus to Oak Town.

Cana smiled at Wendy "Gods you're going to tear that man apart aren't you? I almost feel sorry for him." She chuckled.

Wendy smirked, nudging the woman beside her "If either of us can walk tomarrow its only because we're both healers."

That drew a round of hearty laughs, even Cobra snorted.

"Virgo has your luggage Wendy so I'll just get it sent to Cristoffs room so you two don't need to carry it." Lucy offered.

Wendy smiled, nodding gratefully.

When the train pulled in she was already at the door, the train personnel manning it gave her a warning look when she hovered near him and the door.

She ignored him, waiting until the train stopped and he stepped aside before jumping down from the train and searching.

She didn't see him at first, he and Laxus were still walking, not quite to the edge of the lights from the stations platform but she felt him, and looked toward where she could sense him, running in that direction before she even laid eyes on him but once she saw him she doubled her speed.

"Shit…brace yourself man." Laxus chuckled, getting himself out of the way as the Sky Dragon hurled herself at Cristoff, who, to his credit, kept his feet, though barely and caught her. She was pushing her face against his neck, her silky purr just about bringing him to his knees even though her initial impact with him hadn't been able to.

Why she needed to just rub against him she wasn't sure but she did and he happily let her, pressing his own face into her hair and letting himself just drink in her presence for a few moments. They weren't in the light from the platform, and Laxus would talk with everyone before they started to the resort so he had a few minutes alone with her, they needed them.

"That was too long." She whimpered, tears falling down her face, dampening his thick black hair as she nuzzled into it and kissed the soft spot behind his ear.

"It was…Gods I missed you." He groaned, hugging her harder. The moon was up, washing over them, and He smiled into her hair and she heard him whisper the spell, felt the world shift for a moment, then she knew he'd shifted them somewhere.

His teleport was more limited than Laxus' in that he could only go where the moon touched, but he could take more when he did, Laxus was limited to about 3-4 people, Cristoff could take up to 10 before it was a strain on him.

"Where?" She asked, moving in his arms so she could reach his mouth, she'd gone without that for too long too.

"Balcony…our…suite." He responded between kisses.

He'd left the sliding glass door unlocked on purpose for this very reason when he'd left.

Now he carried her inside, slid the door shut and fell onto the bed with her, clothes falling on the floor as they went.

Xoxoxoxxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxxoxoxoxoxxoxoxox

The resort was booking pretty quickly. It wasn't surprising. Their opening week they even had people booked to stay with them so Laxus was interviewing some locals for the more mundane jobs of housekeeping and such.

Cristoff and Wendy would operate the clinic, Levy and Freed would run the books, handle reservations and oversee the front desk.

Gajeel, Cobra, Lucy, Cana and Bickslow were put in charge of the bar/club and Kinana would run the restaurant.

Laxus was the owner/general manager and the rest of the people brought up would take various positions running the resort.

Redus had decorated/designed a gorgeous high mountain lodge look and feel to the place and that was what it was named. Highmountain Resort.

Laxus tried to get Natsu to come up, but he refused, telling the amazed Lightning Slayer he was passing up this opportunity to be in the middle of things where he usually preferred being, so he could stay by the egg.

"5 Months. Once it hatches, if the whelp can travel fine, but if not, somebody needs to be here that it can talk to, bond with, someone who can look after it like a dragon needs." Natsu had told him.

Laxus couldn't help but to agree, the egg needed to remain where it was, steadily fed by the lightning charged lacrima he had set up, and rain one Juvia had designed in the magically sealed well secure and insulated room beneath Fairy Tail.

Natsu spent most nights sleeping in the chamber beside the one it occupied in spite of Makarov wanting him to go home and sleep in his own bed.

So Laxus didn't push the Fire Slayer, leaving him to his loyal vigil over the egg. He called in Juvia to oversee the indoor pool and hot springs. There simply was no such thing as a better lifeguard than a water mage. The massive indoor pool was in a three story structure built onto the back of the resort with some rooms on the second and third floors actually having balconies overlooking it inside. The waterfall that fed one end also had a couple of waterslides that wound around it and a swim up bar right off the "café" area of the restaurant that opened up into the pool complex.

The Hot spring access was along one side of the pool area, they had set things up so the hot spring they had tapped into would provide the heat to keep the pool comfortable year-round.

There were tables and lounge chairs set up and three story high windows across the back facing the mountains behind them. It was a gorgeous area.

All in all, as Laxus walked them through the place, Lucy had to admit, the guild buying it and keeping it as a branch business sure did seem like a good idea. If the expected attack didn't happen or they were able to contain it quickly, preserve the delightful place that had become such a tourist attraction jewel in Fiore, then it would help the guild immensely.

They had a few days to settle in, Cana, Cobra and Bickslow had a handle on setting up the bar and club. Gajeel was ready as far as keeping the peace there, so that left Lucy with freetime to enjoy the brand new resort. Since it was still plenty cold outside, and the pool area was so gorgeous, peaceful and warm, Lucy put on a swimsuit and after letting Cobra know where she would be, she placed herself by the pool and chatted with Juvia while they folded towels and discussed the upcoming opening of the place.

Sorcerers weekly had been invited along with several others to report on the new luxury resort. It was decided Fairy Tail would claim its ownership from the beginning publicly, that way it seemed more natural several of its most powerful members were there.

Whoever was planning the attack on the place might also decide against it, deterrence wasn't a bad thing. They had a northern base now they could operate from, and with most of the disturbances, strange reports, and two more incidents where mages had tangled with Berserkers reported, one ending in favor of the Blue Pegasus mages involved, one ending in a small village being destroyed, two Sabertooth members killed and one injured.

Orga, the lightning Godslayer from Sabertooth had been hospitalized now for two months after tangling with those berserkers. He'd finished them, but at a heavy cost. Two dead friends and a village wiped off the map.

From Shirotsume, they could do a better job of getting to those strange reports, helping other guilds with them. They invited the leaders of Blue Pegasus and Sabertooth to the resorts opening for that reason.

Laxus had to admit, as he walked the halls of the resort and saw the Fairy Tail emblem emblazoned here and there, he liked it, a lot.

Between the Guild in Magnolia, and its branch office in Shirotsume, they had created a reach of influence that would help them immensely as everything progressed.

Levy looked up from the front desk as he approached, "We're booked to capacity for the opening week Laxus, word got out just like you thought once we invited Jason from Sorcerers weekly." She smiled.

"Good. This thing needs to pay for itself as soon as it can. Freed in the office?" He asked. Levy nodded and Laxus stepped behind the massive curved pine reception desk. Up to six people could sit and work comfortably there.

Freed looked up as Laxus came into the office.

"Everything is ready. Booze all came in on this mornings train. Cristoff got the clinic set before Wendy arrived, new hires have all been trained…we're ready."

Xoxoxoxooxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

Highmountain Resort opened and the opening week was a blurred haze for everyone working there. Mages from Blue Pegasus, Sabertooth and a few others came to see what the younger Dreyar was capable of for Fairy Tail moving forward.

Fiore, after the heartbreaking tragedy of Hargeon, had needed this celebration it seemed and had embraced the whole event.

The Resort that had been so quiet and peaceful the week before it's opening was now filled to the brim with guests.

It was May before things settled down into a peaceful rhythm and they hired a few more locals to pull enough load off the Fairy Tail mages they could get out and start doing some recon through the area under the guise of relaxing.

Laxus departed for his standard two weeks for mating season, glowering at Bickslow and Cobra who were seeing him off.

"Just stop in Magnolia and take Emma with you…." Cobra smirked.

"She's too busy… with the expenses for the Resort her shop is needing to work hard and she's not willing to leave it." Laxus rumbled.

"Time to go beast mode boss, just grab the little vixen and carry her off over your shoulder, seriously, the shop, the guild, everything will survive he being away so you two can finally seal the deal." Bickslow said.

Laxus sighed "She'd be furious…" He protested.

"Yeah, having a feisty as fuck mate myself? I can tell you from experience, you can fuck that fury right out of her if you do it right." Cobra said with a grin.

Laxus chuckled at that but shook his head. "Lucy is a forgiving soul Cobra, Emma? Not so much. The woman can be nasty when she wants to be, and has a temper hiding behind that angelic smile of hers. I just have to stay with the plan, we'll wait until after the summer is over, after whatever is going to happen happens, then, I'll carry her off over my shoulder and fuck her senseless for a few weeks until I'm made her my mate BEFORE either of us set foot back into range of humanity again." He said.

Bickslow shrugged "I'd personally go with the sooner rather than later approach but she's your woman boss. Enjoy the beach while the rest of us are working like dogs up here in the fucking cold."

"Bickslow, it's may, it hasn't even been freezing at night anymore." Laxus shoved the man and Bickslow frowned.

"Anything under 70 is fucking cold in my book so fuck off." He declared.

"Candy ass." Cobra said.

"Well you'd know best about that wouldn't you?" Bix grinned and Cobras smirk faltered.

"I aint into guys asses, unlike you who plays with dolls and fiery sticks from what I've heard." Cobra returned.

Bix narrowed his eyes "I shoved that stick into the second best place the guy needed it to be under the circumstances and leave my babies out of this. I know how you love candy, the fact your referring to my ass as such just proves how much you like it."

"Would you two quit flirting, you're giving me a headache." Laxus sighed.

"Yeah you always have a headache just as the mood is getting good." Bix quipped and now had a stormy blue set of eyes joining the indigo glaring at him.

"You need a girlfriend." Cobra declared.

Laxus nodded "Yeah, you haven't been fucking enough or something, whenever you have a dry spell you get bitchy."

Bickslow glared at both slayers "I am not in a dry spell and I don't date, I have an allergy to relationships." He declared.

"Yeah not being able to get a date isn't an allergy, it's called failure." Cobra said. "Seriously? This from the guy who hadn't gotten laid in like what, a year before Lucy took pity on you?" Bix asked.

"It wasn't a year." Cobra snapped.

Laxus whistled "Shit, a year? No wonder you were such an asshole."

"I'm still an asshole Sparky, I just don't waste as much time working at maintaining my reputation as I used to. Lucy commands too much of my time, and why am I arguing with you two losers on this in the first place? I fuck a gorgeous blonde every time I want to and you two pricks are the ones not getting any." He growled.

"Hey! I'm engaged to Emma." Laxus growled back.

"But not fucking her, not in a while." Cobra countered.

"I can get laid whenever I want, women hang all over me." Bix said.

"Yeah and you leave em all wanting, maybe you really do want a guy to notice you?" Cobra asked.

Bickslow was the wrong person to tease, Cobra knew better too.

The Seith leaned right into him "You offering? I'm willing to change things up once, just to see, bring Lucy, we can make her dreams come true every woman dreams about having two men at once."

That ended their waiting with Laxus for his train, which was ready for boarding so he turned away from watching Cobra trying to run Bixy down, confident in Bickslows ability to escape the Poison Slayer.

Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

"This is creepy ass shit." Cobra said unhappily. He was in the underground tunnels and caves beneath Shirotsume where the Clan of Succubi Cristoff and Wendy had taken on more than a year ago had been.

Wendy frowned as they passed the altar Cristoff had been chained to that night and Gajeel ruffled her hair, shoving her past it with a growl reminding her to concentrate and not get distracted.

They were making sure there were no hidden entrances to Shirotsume, and if there were, they were going to seal them. Freed followed behind Cobra,Lucy, Wendy and Gajeel.

It had become more common for Wendy and Cristoff to be split up, as healers they were both serious commodities, Wendy was sent to explore under the city, which was assumed to be a pretty safe chore, and Cristoff was with the other team checking the most common passageways into the valley.

Being early spring, it was the rutting season for a lot of beasts, so that party was almost guaranteed to be busy, so Cristoff had been sent with them because he could heal while in combat and that was still something Wendy wasn't good at.

"I smell fresh air." Cobra said, picking up his pace a little as they got past the areas the clan had been in.

A few minutes later they emerged from the tunnels and looked around to get their bearings.

"Fuck…" Cobra realized it too late, and couldn't stop Wendy from coming all the way through but Gajeel caught freed and with Cobra grabbing Wendy and snapping a hand over her mouth to stifle her immediate vocal protest of his rough treatment they dove back into the tunnel entrance.

Cobra glared menacingly at Wendy until she quit squirming and paid attention then once she acknowledged she had to be quiet, they all looked out through the branches of the shrubs that had saved them from being seen.

"Berserkers…" Wendy breathed. Cobra nodded, so far the wind was in their favor, blowing toward the tunnel, but that could change and they needed this easy entrance to Shirotsumi sealed.

Freed was already at work, weaving patterns swiftly with his rapier while Gajeel braced in some serious metal spiked outward that cobra drenched in one of his fastest acting poisons.

Once that was done they started moving back up the tunnel, Freed pausing about every dozen feet or so to lay down more traps and barriers, Gajeel setting up one more blockade and then they ran back until Gajeels Lacrima would finally work.

"How many did you see?" Laxus demanded.

It had been quiet, they had passed May and June and most of July with nothing, occasional reports of suspicious happenings but always closer to the border with Seven.

"More than a hundred." Gajeel said unhappily, "I don't know if the plan is to bring them up through the tunnels, we set enough traps and such to occupy them for a long while and maybe even kill a few, but Wendy says most are the size of the biggest one you guys ran into by Lakeshore, whatever that means.

Laxus closed his eyes, from what he knew now about berserkers, that meant veteran killing machines.

"Ok, get up and out of there and seal it off, I'll send the rock mages down to double re-enforce your efforts and call in the other team." Laxus said.

"You got it." Gajeel replied and Laxus looked up, Levy was wide eyed standing a few feet from him with Lucy, both having heard what he'd said and Lucy remembering all too well what those things had looked like and done to a village when there were just three of them and two had been little things compared to the big blonde one.

"Yo Boss, what's up?" Bickslow answered on the first tone.

"You guys see anything out there?" Laxus asked.

"Nope, just a few Vulcans sporting boners that I think got Gray excited." The Seith replied

"Fuck off Bickslow!" He heard Gray snarl.

"Get back here as fast as you can, the other team encountered Berserkers." Laxus snapped.

"They WHAT?!" That was Cristoffs voice.

"They're fine Cristoff, on their way back to the resort now they weren't seen but hurry back we probably don't have a lot of time." Laxus said.

"On our way…fuck…no Cristoff!" Bickslow started to yell and a moment later, on the front lawn Laxus watched the team appear and he smirked slightly. He really needed to keep in mind Cristoff could pull off group teleports.

"Shit, I hate that! Makes me feel like someone fucked me in my ear." Bickslow grumbled, shoving his brother who shoved him back, turning toward the direction he knew the other team would be approaching from and starting off that way.

Laxus couldn't blame him, if it were Emma he knew he'd be doing the same, right now he was glad for the first time she wasn't in Shirotsumi.

He called Makarov, sending Levy and Lucy to start the process of securing the resort to do what it had been built to do, serve as a fortress.

"I thought he could only do that after dark when the moon was up?" Cana was saying rubbing her head.

"Anywhere the moonlight touches, the moon is up, you just can't see it in the daylight right now. Fuck I hate that shit. I take it we're locking down right?" He looked as Lucy was passing him and she nodded "Yeah, spread the word." She acknowledged.

Bickslow moved quickly as soon as he knew what to do. It was one of the things that made him such an asset in a team, he was fast, once he knew what needed to be done, few people executed tasks faster or better.

He had the pool area shields going up over the windows before Lucy had even finished with the restaurant area.

Laxus had barely switched off the com from talking with his grandfather when it lit, Cristoff looking at him "Evacuate the town or not?" He asked.

Laxus pressed his lips together, evacuating the town would absolutely let whoever was running this know they'd been discovered somehow and move up the pending attack before they could get any help incoming. Still getting the citizens out of harms way was the whole reason the resort had been built like it had.

"Evacuate them." Laxus replied. Cristoff nodded.

Turning to Gajeel the Lunar slayer drew a breath "There's a train, don't let it leave, we need to get every one on it we can since it's heading out of the area away from the fighting force you saw. We'll start sending people to it." He said. Gajeel nodded, taking off at a dead run for the station.

"Lets get people heading for that train." He said, Freed nodded, sending up a few red bursts into the air and they started moving. Wendy running for the town hall, Cristoff for the medical center, he meant to have every weak person on that train.

They had already told the towns mayor this was likely a while ago, the King himself had spoken to the man, who had wanted to leave but was forced to remain, though he'd sent his children off to their grandmothers. Most of the children, on summer leave from school anyway, had quietly been redirected out of the town, their parents given special deals of summer camps and far more people than ever in the history of any town anywhere had won trips out of the area too.

Summer tourist season though was in full swing, So while many locals were gone, tourists were still there and that couldn't be prevented without revealing the whole plot had been discovered and losing a chance at maybe putting an end to whatever was happening.

Fortunately, people didn't argue much, when warned there was a pending attack on the town from Sevenese invaders, people moved.

They filled the train, then added people until there wasn't even room to stand anymore and sent it out directing the remaining people, of which there fortunately were not many, to the resort.

The Christine was inbound from Blue Pegasus along with some of their best fighters and Sabertooth responded as well though they couldn't promise they would arrive before nightfall.

Cristoff knew how Berserkers worked, they did their best work in the dark so he'd prepared for that, the resort was ready and he was grateful to be crossing the first rune protections onto its grounds, Wendys hand firmly in his own.

All together, considering what they were facing, they were as ready as they could have made themselves with what little information they had to work with.

Now though, knowing Berserkers were inbound, Laxus put Cristoff in charge of preparing their initial defenses and was more than a little relieved the man knew how to organize and prepare on a large scale.

It shouldn't have surprised him, Cristoff, though young, was a veteran of many campaigns in Bosco, including border skirmishes with Seven that had taught him painfully well about berserkers. He was gratified to see leather armor showing up on his guildmates, though it wouldn't afford the protection heavier armor would, it provided a lot more than clothing did.

He was hoping there would be few if any magic using berserkers in the force, but when Gajeel had said more than 100, he knew that was a pretty unlikely hope. 100 berserkers was a pre-invasion force, enough to sweep through a city let alone a small town in the mountains.

This had to be another "test".

Freed and Levy were both sweating, placing down the protections he asked for, both feeling very good they had placed many of the same things into every piece of building material that had gone into building this resort.

Gajeel and the other metal and stone make wizards were sealing every window, leaving space enough for looking out, but not enough to leave the windows as easy targets.

Every pane throughout the facility had been enhanced, enchanted, protected every way they could think of during construction.

They were to remain as a single group. The citizens were moved to the center of the resort to the restaurant, the most secured area and the area best suited to hold a lot of people comfortably.

The benches and such could serve as beds, they had enough food and supplies to last the resort at capacity up to a month. They had planned to fall back to it, but considering what was coming, waiting in the open wasn't just foolish, it would have been suicide.

Their best chance was to dig in and maintain the defenses they had built into the place, wait for more fighting forces, then join the fray. The place had weapons of its own and Laxus readied them.

Wendy stood resolutely beside her mate. Even knowing a fight was looming she hadn't been ready for what she had seen, she'd already described it to Cristoff, who had nodded grimly and agreed with Laxus about holding firm inside their fortress until re-enforcements arrived.

The Christine would be arriving no sooner than midnight, Sabertooth and Fioran Military the following day at the earliest.

Just as the sun was disappearing under the horizon and twilight took hold, Freed stiffened and looked hard at Cristoff before the man drew a breath "They're on my traps, I can feel my magic being set off." He said, turning and going to Laxus to let him know where he was sitting in the fourth floor command center where controls of the defenses of the resort had been placed.

Laxus hit a button that made the soft chime ring through the facility, alerting everyone it had begun.

Cristoff and Wendy took places where they could see out as did everyone with ranged abilities that didn't require direct paths for casting.

Cana cursed under her breath and Lucy patted her shoulder "Hey, I'm with you, we just have to stand by, think of it this way, us doing nothing is a best case scenario." She said.

Cana gave her a thin smile watching Bickslow take his own spot. The Seith was going to be a lethal defender. Cristoff looked over at his brother, nobody here knew better what Bickslow was capable of, and the gloves were off, this wasn't a mission, where accounts had to be made and every injury explained on some crook or dark mage.

Lucy moved to stand near Cobra, he had attacks he could use, and Lucy herself was to wait, Gemini at the ready. When they spotted anyone who looked like they might know something, Gemini would be sent to copy them.

Juvia had a spot too, as did Gray and Gajeel was coming to terms with standing behind Levy as she took a place herself.

The rock mages smiled suddenly and one stood "They finally got to the first chamber underground, the spells went off, the tunnels and all chambers down there have been collapsed, they're 100 feet beneath the surface, so there should be heavy casualties." She reported.

Cristoff drew a breath, reaching out with his senses as best he could considering he was on the third story of a heavily fortified building. That was when the first rune alarm went off. "Perimeter to the north" Freed said.

Considering entrance to the tunnels was to the south, that meant they were being approached from more than one direction, standard tactic and one they had been expecting.

They looked to the small screens Freed had been setting up along the walls of the open area they were all in. This area had been set up, with an overhanging rounded reach out over the front of the resort. It was a game area with pool tables, though those had been shoved aside now. But it had been meant to serve as a position heavily fortified from which ranged mages could fight from an elevated position and the dozens upon dozens of tiny lacrima cameras all over the property and in the Town.

The first views of their enemies made Wendy shudder to the point Cristoff stepped over and pulled her into a firm embrace, kissing her forehead as she leaned into him, watching the town cameras show the creatures searching the empty buildings and emerging enraged, some squabbling, a few even fighting with each other until men carrying tall staffs snaked faintly glowing whips out to break them up before they did too much damage to each other.

"Fuck…" Gajeel breathed. He'd heard about these things, but only heard about them, had never seen any.

"They're blooded…" Cristoff frowned, moving closer to one of the screens and looking closely.

Sure enough there were blood smears across each face, ceremonies had been done, these berserkers had been blooded to prepare for this. But the question was, how?

They had been carefully monitoring reports across the region for anything that looked bad, granted they hadn't known exactly what to watch for, but murders, mass disappearances of a number of people large enough to blood 100+ Berserkers? They would have noticed that wouldn't they?

There was no way random hikers, campers… "They've been hunting the surrounding areas…" He breathed softly.

"What do you mean. "They would need at least 50 people to blood 100 berserkers, and with veterans like most of these are, more, because few would share a kill…so they had to have brought people to kill somehow…Laxus…watch the skies!"

Laxus frowned and Cristoff was bolting up the stairs to get to where Laxus was, once there and he could see the skies he drew a breath.

"Heavens stars and Moon revealing light." He whispered and Laxus jerked back at the wash of magic power he felt go skyward from the Lunar slayer.

There were flares, flashes of light everywhere, like the stars were dancing, shooting to and fro, criss crossing each other until light bounced off of something and then the moons light flared so brightly they had to look down for a moment, above the town, approaching the resort, was an airship the size of the Christine.

"Fuck…that's how they coordinated Hargeon…and those mages snatched up into the sky…" Laxus breathed and then his frown deepened as the light magic washed over the hull of the ship and illuminated an unmistakable seal.

"It a council airship…that's the seal of the Rune Knights…"He breathed. "Freed! Get pictures of that and send them to every fucking body!"

Freed nodded. flashed cameras quickly captured multiple pictures of the ship and sending them via the lacrima coms, first to the palace, Makarov, then to every news agency Freed could think of along with the report that Shirotsume was under attack. Pictures of the ship above the town hall made it completely impossible to argue, and they even caught Berserkers that were prowling the roof of the town hall hunting for any living thing that might not have evacuated when they had the chance.

"Let the fucking council explain THAT." Laxus growled.

"Light shit up Cristoff." He said and the Lunar Slayer nodded, heading back down to his spot, bending to kiss a confused and worried Wendy first.

Cristoff drew a deep breath and closed his eyes, letting Wendy move against him as magic started to build and a few others took a couple of steps back.

"Holy shit…" Cobra breathed.

Bickslow smirked "You've got the holy part right…" He snickered.

Lucy frowned, almost wanting to shield her eyes, she had seen Makarov do this, back build his magic, and aside from him and Gildarts, Laxus too, she'd not seen magic on this scale build before, and never this much of it.

"What do you mean?" She asked.

"He didn't go through the three days our older brother Kaleb went through, but Cristoff did an immaculate light immersion when he was inducted into the knights. It adds holy power to his spells." Bickslow said.

He'd never been able to do it, though it had been offered by his father. Bickslow had dipped into darkness with his magic, it was why he couldn't live in Bosco anymore, had fled to Fiore. His tracker had long since been removed by Porlyusica, but the Boscan government allowed Seith mages to live as long as they had dark magic sensing lacrima implanted to monitor them, if they went dark the lacrima alerted the government and the Seith was killed.

Bickslow had done that, tapped dark magic to force confessions from the people who had been behind the murder of his parents when he was a child. The government had accepted the confessions, but still put a kill order on Bickslow. His adoptive father had smuggled him out of Bosco and he had met Laxus while making his way down into Fiore looking for a place to call home.

He'd only been 15 at the time. He didn't regret any of it.

As light flooded the town and all of the grounds of the resort courtesy of Cristoff, targets could be seen, it was a bright as mid day outside now and Cristoff had been careful to bring that light up from a point near the center of the town, spreading it out to the resort.

That fact had the berserkers feverishly starting to tear buildings apart in the area the initial spell circle had formed in. They were searching for the caster.

"That's some fucking range…" Gajeel said.

Cristoff was wiping a thin sheen of sweat from his brow, the spell was costly, but it would last for 6 hours before it started to fade, and complete fade out would take another hour, then he could cast it again as long as he kept enough magic in reserve for it, which he planned to do.

"Yeah well…believe me, the training to get it wasn't fun." Cristoff replied, giving Wendy a meaningful look before returning to look through his opening.

Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxxoxoxoxoxoxoxxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

Nuryev was frowning darkly. This was supposed to go off just like Hargeon, it should have been easier, they knew Fairy Tail was up here opening some silly resort as an investment, many guilds maintained business' to help them operate, that Fairy Tail really ran nothing beyond a little gift shop and a potion shop had been surprising to read about.

The glowing interview with Makarov had gone on about them doing research for over a year looking for something promising and it was just the dumb luck of Nuryevs operations that the rail lines had expanded and added a stop right in Shirotsume giving the town a boost since some people didn't care for the 2 hour ride via hired car or hack from the nearest station into the town.

Reports that tourism had picked up and the inns couldn't accommodate all of the people who wanted to vacation there hadn't been part of his fucking considerations when he'd selected the place as the softening point. With the mountains there, tunnel systems in place to house the berserkers, almost half of which he'd lost when those tunnels had collapsed, Shirotsume had been a perfect place to take over.

They could thoroughly blood the berserkers and clear a path back to the border easily with them.

But no, some fucking body had just lit up his airship like a Christmas tree, blown away his shielding and cloaking on the ship and left him fully exposed and visible.

The hulls of the ship were radiating so much light his damn Berserkers were unable to look at it!

Forget being able to pluck up a few tasty young mages now!

Infuriated his mind raced for avenues that could rescue this situation and all he could come up with was retreat, but his forces on the ground were already blooded, off leash and on the move, their handlers wouldn't be able to maintain control if killing wasn't dished out or a hunt given to them.

A hunt… if he could have he would have put them on a trail for who lit up his damn ship, he'd never encountered magic like whatever light was being used, the town looked like mid day for fucks sake.

He had no clue who had cast these spells, but Nuryev wasn't a confrontation fighter, he was a behind closed doors, from the shadows at a safe distance sort of fighter.

If there was a chance he could be pulled into a fight, he was out.

Since hunting the caster of the spells that had revealed his ship wasn't possible, he'd send his main force of berserkers, what was left of it, into clearing the path back to the border and follow the remains of the plan, Too much was in motion to stop now.

He issued the new orders and the handlers started dividing the forces and then something hit the airship.

The ship rocked and shuddered as attacks struck it, exploding around it from all sides and Nuryev was screaming demanding specifics but the knights had no answers the source of the attacks couldn't be pinpointed because they were hitting from too many angles.

Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

"I can reach!" Juvia cried, and water slicers finally joined the attack on the airship Cristoff had been bombarding for several minutes. The ship had finally drifted close enough that Juvia, Levy, Cobra and Wendy could all get shots off at it.

They redoubled their efforts when Lightning joined the fray and suddenly the ship was no longer flying seamlessly through the night sky, it was listing in the air, one side of its stabilizers gone, blown to bits so the ship hung sideways, limping along far too slowly.

A couple Rune Knights didn't take enough care in their movements and tumbled from the ship screaming until their screams were cut off, one when it hit the ground, the other when a Berserker lept into the air to intercept the tasty victim.

Those aboard the ship had not been scented to discourage the berserkers, so they were fair game, and the remaining berserkers on the ground had yet to get any fresh blood on their teeth and claws. The man the one plucked out of the air didn't last long, saved from his fall he became a tug of war toy between four hulking berserkers that tore him apart in seconds.

Nuryev watched it happen and blanched. It was one thing to watch the work of his creations from the ship, another to be facing dealing with them directly.

Dain was clinging to a post, seeming highly amused by it all, until lightning joined the slashing water, slicing wind and exploding ice and it was more relentless, like the first bombardment of exploding balls of light that had hit them.

Dain wondered if the same mage had gotten his second wind and decided to change attacks but no, lighting and what had seemed almost celestial in nature didn't mix in one wizard.

This was from a second wizard that rivaled the power of the first.

"If the other stabilizers go…direction matters, if we don't steer out of range…" Dain said.

Nuryev glared at him, did he think that was a stroke of brilliance?

"Back the way we came! Now!" He screamed. The ship reversed direction, scarcely managing to limp back a ways, but the lightning didn't relent, the wind and water and ice did, but the lightning get hitting them until the ship groaned and started down, Nuryev frowned, manging to reach Dain he clasped the mans hand and pulled a lacrima from his coat pocket and a moment later, seconds before the ship crashed into the town hall, Nuryevs teleport lacrima flashed and he and Dain left the ship to its fate.

Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxxoxoxoxoxoxxoxoxox

There were 10 Berserkers left in Shirotsume, 5 could have removed it from the map and killed every citizen and tourist present, but none of the ten had a drop of fresh blood on a claw or tooth and they were getting desperate. A couple had strayed to the resorts boarders and met with its defenses painfully.

One made the mistake of trying to charge the place, but going further into a layered criss crossed sea of wards, enchantments and rune traps didn't make it easier to get through.

That one died.

The remaining nine were left prowling the perimeter. No scents came to them, their only clue there was prey inside was that they could not get past the barriers.

Their handlers knew barriers that serious could only mean this was where people had fled so they set their charges on the place and the creatures tried, all night they tried, they kept at it until the Christine arrived and started killing them, picking them off one by one from the sky until the remaining handlers fled, only four escaped, and those ran right into the Fioran military.

As dawn lit the sky Laxus sent Gajeel Cristoff, Wendy and Cobra to the crashed airship while he went out to meet the military, hoping to delay them long enough to gather information, the slayers knew the scents they were after.

"She was here!, her blood…this is her scent!" Wendy was crouched by a ruined cage, the wood flooring beneath it was shattered, but there were stains in the wood that bore the evidence.

Gajeel wrinkled his nose, he caught it…Sherria, he hadn't known her like Wendy, but he could pick out a womans scent.

"I don't know kid, this cage held a lot of different folks over the last few months, so many scents and Sherria was months ago if she was in it…" He didn't mean to doubt though, more to encourage her to be certain.

"It's her scent, I'd know it anywhere…she was on this ship…." She said firmly.

"So they caught her, transported her using this ship, I wish we had more proof than a slayers nose…" Cristoff sighed.


	25. Chapter 25 Magnolia

A/N So much to cover...this one actually hurt in places to write, sad when I trigger myself I know. I hope you all are enjoying this, I've had this story brewing in my head since I was writing FD. Blame Moonbeam for Bixy being single, her OC in Walled Garden and then in "of Barren Design" just set me in this..."But...Bixy has a perfect woman for him" mode. He isn't likely to stay single here, I do have some ideas for him, we just aren't there yet in the story...DESNA

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

The Resort had served its purpose. Because the people of the town had escaped with only a handful of stubborn exceptions that had thought they could ride things out in their homes.

The Town hall needed some hefty repairs once the hulking Council airship was pulled out of it, but it could be salvaged, and the damage done by the rampaging Berserkers had been handled the first day the citizens were allowed back.

Some people stayed at the resort, that it was the safest place in town had been made abundantly clear.

The military got to the Berserker handlers before Laxus and his people could, but, that didn't stop Lucy and Gemini from snatching a copy of one of the handlers.

It was when Gemini returned to Lucy victorious and stood in the office of the resort in front of everyone and divulged what was happening according to the Sevenese handler, that all the color ran out of every face in the room.

"Invasion…"Levy leaned into Gajeels arms and he gathered him to her as tears spilled from unblinking wide hazel eyes.

"That means…." Lucy was unable to say it…but Laxus was.

"War"

Wendy was already sitting worrying in Cristoffs lap as Gemini shared what the handler knew. Near the end of the assault on the airship blood had started running from his nose.

He'd waved her off. "I was layering spells, casting several at once and usually when you do that you rupture a few things. It's far from the first time I've bled during a fight Wendy." He'd assured her.

She'd gone over him, ignoring his protests until he finally just stood still and let her really check him over.

When the reality of what it all meant sunk in, she went from standing quietly to almost tearing the fabric of Cristoffs shirt she was clutching it so hard.

"The Fioran forces here are going after the Sevenese that left heading east. We need to go home, regroup as a guild…" Laxus was saying when his lacrima went off, pulling it from his pocket he opened the channel and Makarov was frowning at him.

"I'm sending Freed a copy of the decree that the guild just received, I've spoken directly to the King. Autumn City has fallen, the Sevenese army is already pushing into Fiore from there but reports have come in that ships have landed in Hargeon, Berserkers along with Sevenese and Pergrandian soldiers are flooding from those ships, more have been meeting resistance trying to come into the port at Gallowstown but the local defenses there are losing ground." Makarov drew a shaky breath.

"My boy, every able bodied fighter is needed, the King has drafted the guilds to fight. ERA and the council are not responding and the Rune Knight headquarters in Crocus was found abandoned this morning, a skeleton group of young knights that didn't know what was happening left to maintain the look as though the facility were still fully manned….Laxus, they have a dragon…Scissor Runner if reports are correct, he's why Autumn City fell so fast." There was noise then in the background.

Makarov stood, was carrying the lacrima, they could hear Natsu.

"I've seen that one…at the Eclipse Gate…Levia…its name is Levia, don't worry gramps, I've got this…" The Fire Slayer was saying.

"Levia is a water dragon! Master! Tell Natsu! Levia can use water against him!" Levy was yelling and Makarov lifted the Lacrima "He heard you Levy…Magnolia is under attack, I'll contact you as soon as possible my children…if we can not hold Magnolia, we will retreat to Shirotsume so do all you can there." Makarov was saying.

Laxus was running his hand shakily through his hair "We have to get to Magnolia…fucking Natsu can't fight a Dragon and the Sevenese and Pergrandian forces…even with Erza and Mira there…Gramps…we're coming!" Laxus said and Makarov looked sharply at the lacrima.

"No! Laxus, we have several very powerful wizards here, Levia isn't as big as Scissor Runner and if they bring him toward Clover Town your area may be the best to retreat to! You need to assure that resort is kept, it may be our best hope to protect people, our best place to turn to!" Makarov said. The lacrima was shut off then and Laxus snarled at it.

"Fuck!" He roared, they were too far away, the train lines would be the first thing these invaders would go after, and if they even could get trains down to Magnolia it would take them more than a day to get there, how many would die? Would the guild still be standing?!

"I can take two people with me." Cristoff said.

Laxus froze staring at the younger slayer. "You can…" he breathed.

Cristoff drew a breath "the distance is near my limits, but because I've lived there I can visualize it flawlessly, the moon is still up I can teleport wherever it touches. At the distance we're talking I can only safely take two people with me." He said firmly.

"But you strained…" Wendy was protesting but he silenced her with a look. "I blew a couple blood vessels layering spells, I have plenty of magic in reserve still, I can make this jump and still fight just fine on the other end and I'm betting our guild is going to need a healer…" He said, though his tone was hard, the smile he gave her was soft.

"Cobra and I. " Laxus said then "Gajeel, you're in charge here, do as gramps said, go over the facilities defenses with Freed."

Gajeel frowned, clearly not happy with this, his instinct was to go and fight but with Levy clinging to him, both Cobra and Cristoff giving him hard looks he nodded. They were entrusting him with their mates, the silent agreement made in a moment. Lucy grabbed Cobra and the Poison slayer was drug into a fierce kiss, Cristoff handled much the same by Wendy while Laxus gave everyone orders.

"Protect our home." Lucy said when she pulled back.

Cobra smirked "I'll protect our family…buildings can be rebuilt. Even that fucking fish pond." He sighed. Lucy giggled, more from anxiety than humor but glared at her mate "If even one of my Koi die I'm burning your snakeskin collection." She warned.

"Well fuck…guess I can't let any of those fuckers die then…except the white one, I hate that bastard, I'm feeding him to Happy." He replied. Lucy kissed him again and then stepped back.

Bickslow wrapped Wendy in a firm hug as Cristoff stepped out of her arms, exchanging a pleading look with his brother who winked at him, hugging the now tearful Sky Dragon a little tighter.

"Outside, I need to be able to get direct light from the Moon." Cristoff said firmly leading the two other slayers out in front.

It was still morning, not even noon yet, the moon was low but still high enough its beams still touched him as he came outside. It was calm, quiet, peaceful, they were far from the invasion now, the threat to Shirotsume passed for now.

"Hands, sorry guys, skin contact for a jump this big." Cristoff sighed, looking at the Moon, deciding its angle, imagining the guild hall, building the picture in his mind, where the moon would be sitting in the sky there, where he'd be able to see it around the guild and as Cobra and Laxus both took his hands he drew a deep breath.

"Lunar…shift"

It was a step from peace to chaos that they made.

Cristoff put them in the guilds practice ring so they were behind the guild hall and heard Natsu shouting out a spell "Fire Dragons Roar!"

The eruption of flame and magic power was brighter than the sun in the already smoke darkened sky.

The three slayers bolted to the back door of the guild, rushing through and nearly knocked Makarov down.

The master gaped at them.

"Cristoff…" Laxus said a roar shook the ground they stood on and Makarov blinked, nodding "Go help Natsu! Bring that thing down and we have a chance!" He called. Laxus and Cobra dashed down the hall out into the main area to head for the other doors but Makarov caught Cristoffs arm before he could follow.

"You can teleport the distance to Shirotsumi?" He demanded. Cristoff nodded "I can only take two people, and only have enough magic in reserve to maybe do it once and still get back here if I want to be able to fight and heal." He replied.

Makarov nodded. "If you see the fight turning bad, you take Cobra and Laxus back to Shirotsumi…promise me."

Cristoff nodded, bowing his head to the Master who smiled "Go, go help them." He urged and Cristoff straightened, turning and rushing out through the main guild hall to crash through the doors and look about to see what was happening.

The dragon was engaged with Natsu, Laxus and Cobra mowing down some soldiers trying to get to the fight. Narrowing his eyes Cristoff rushed to help them, passing Erza who was already well engaged with a few hefty opponents, he slowed. She was bleeding, they'd landed some blows on her, one leg bleeding freely and he could tell by how she was holding her weight it was weakened, she was too disadvantaged to be left that way.

Thinking this would be the first thing he would teach Wendy when he saw her again, Cristoff flared a minor lightspell that momentarily blinded the men Erza was fighting, since he was coming up behind her she was left with an opening that she took even as Cristoff threw another spell over her head. A circle appeared a little above her as she was lunging in to take her clear shots at her opponents.

Silvery light shined down from the magic circle and spread over the ground.

Erza barely noticed the spell circle over her head, her senses told her it was friendly magic, and she couldn't take time to address it and miss the chance that flash of light had given her.

She struck down two of her opponents and then saw light filling the ground beneath her feet, spreading out, as it came under the soldiers before her several of them screamed in pain even as Erza felt strength, energy coming into her, felt the pain in her right thigh suddenly dim and the flow of blood from the deep wound there slow to a stop, the leg suddenly could hold her as well as her left.

"Stay on the lit ground! It will help you!" Cristoff, she saw him running past her and frowned briefly, he was with the Shirotsume group…but then, so was Laxus and she'd seen him moments before as well.

The lit ground, glancing down again she settled her feet on glowing cobblestones and faced enemies that suddenly looked pained, weaker. She had no complaints about that.

Skidding to a halt Cristoff drew a breath, Laxus and Cobra had laid waste to the soldiers obstructing their access to Levia.

The dragon was snarling wings tearing through buildings as he turned trying to snap at Natsu but then lightning covered the beasts body nose to tail, liking over its blue scales and the creature roared, thrashing a couple of times before ramming its tail into the ground, the electricity faded and the dragon swung its head around, eyes narrowing on Laxus.

"You won't defeat me, I will earn my freedom!" The beast snarled.

"We need to get his tail out of the ground…" Cristoff said as he came up by Cobra.

"Yeah…but somehow I doubt we're gonna just smack it aside." Cobra returned.

Natsu was coming around to the side of the dragon they were on and Cristoff caught him with a spell as he was jumping down from a partially ruined building.

Covered in various wounds the slayer stiffened as his feet met the cobblestone but then his eyes closed.

"Fuck…." He breathed.

"Shit Flamebreath…" Cobra snickered, moving toward the rear flank of the dragon.

"I fucking love healers." Natsu breathed, grinning at Cristoff who snorted "Yeah? Remember that next time you're brawling at the guild and don't crash through my fucking dinner." He snapped. Lifting his hand he whispered a swift incantation and Natsu shuddered.

"Holy shit…" He breathed as energy, strength and magic energy pumped into him.

"You love healers…I know…" Cristoff chuckled, aiming a similar cluster of invigorating spells at Laxus who was dodging Levias teeth at the moment.

He got Cobra with the same cluster of spells just as the man was gathering his magic for an attack.

"Shit…Fuck Cristoff…no foreplay during a fight!" Cobra cackled as the energy flowed through him.

He'd felt Wendys support spells, they hit with less force but the same euphoric vitality.

A Poison slash took the tail from the ground and Laxus saw it, pouring in the lightning. Of them, Laxus was the best equipped to handle a water dragon, his magic hit the hardest and Levia seized again as it lit him up. Cobra kept the tail out of the ground and Natsu was hitting the beast from the side but the opposite wing sliced around so fast that Laxus, in the middle of another barrage, wasn't quite able to dodge it to disastrous results.

The apex of the wing bore a long spiked claw and Levia was able to aim it, slashing the lightning slayer diagonally from his left hip to his right shoulder and sending him flying in a spray of blood.

The lightning flickered out and Levia drew magic, clearly preparing for a roar and aiming it at Laxus who had landed a few hundred feet away, crashed into a light pole and was laying at the base, blood rapidly pooling beneath his unmoving prone form.

"Frozen lightning.." The screamed out spell preceded a massive flow of blue lightning that cascaded from behind Cristoff right over his head and he didn't bother to look to see who cast it.

His eyes were locked on Laxus and he raced to the mans side, sliding to a halt on his knees, blood soaking into the leather over his knees.

He pulled Laxus over and grimaced at the ragged deep gash that rended the mans chest from hip to shoulder.

"Fuck…ok, might not be able to line up your tattoo perfectly…" He muttered, tearing away the shreds of leather vest and drawing a breath, toning out the fight happening behind him and focusing on the man beneath him.

Heart, damaged, lungs were collapsed punctured, torn, ribs, shattered. Starting at the heart he started working his way out once he had it repaired and had pushed it back into motion, lungs, once those started worked and Laxus drew a ragged breath he put the ribs back together, the sternum, muscle, sinew, finally skin then pushed hard with an invigoration spell that he knew would tax him but Laxus had to regain his feet, soldiers were everywhere, the only reason they weren't currently having trouble with them was because they were avoiding the area immediately around Levia.

He felt blood trickle from his nose and ignored it, watching Laxus stirring he turned, digging into his reserves farther.

"Moonwell…" He pushed, the spell needed some size or they wouldn't be able to use it well enough. Near where Cobra stood the ground opened, a silver magic circle spinning and Cobra spared a glance, watching the ground sink and suddenly fill with silvery liquid about knee deep.

Levia was thrashing sluggishly when Cristoff finally looked, ice forming over the wings and sides of the dragon had slowed it, allowing Natsu and Cobra to do significant damage, particularly Cobra who was on the back of the beast, claws sunk wrist deep into the base of its neck and he was clearly pumping toxins into the creature because it was weakening, staggering.

"Shit…" Laxus was moving, sitting up and Cristoff held him "No…no sharp movements, you're going to the guild hall, your heart and lungs were just shredded by a dragon and mended, you take any serious hits like this and you're done." Cristoff growled

Laxus looked at him wide eyed…he didn't remember anything past the wing reaching him, after that…blackness.

Looking he drew a breath, Emma stood not thirty feet from them, pouring blue lightning form her arms, teeth bared, her emerald hair whipping around her.

Cristoff got him to his feet but refused to let him rejoin the fight "No. You'll fucking die, I'm not kidding." He snapped when Laxus growled seeing Emma stagger a step before resuming her attack.

"Laxus! Cristoff!" The two men looked up as Erza came running toward them "The master has collapsed the guild hall to protect the egg and prevent the enemy from using the building, everyone it to retreat north!" Erza said as she reached them.

"Lets get this fucker down first." Laxus growled and Erza smirked, shifting to Lightning Empress armor and rushing in.

Levia lasted only a few more minutes. "The moonwell, get the waters onto you, it will heal and restore energy we're going to need." Cristoff barked as the dragon groaned its last.

Gathering Emma they hurried from the city silently, Cobra having to grab Natsu and drag him from running back. "No! The egg!" He said frantically.

"Master sealed it, its buried under the guild hall, safe, shielded and hidden we'll go back for it as soon as we can!" Erza told him, helping Cobra restrain the Fire Slayer as they cleared the treeline into dense brush.

"No! It's hatching in just two months! I have to get it!" Natsu was snarling and Cristoff grabbed his chin, yanked his face toward him and the moment the frantic black eyes focused on him "Sleep Slayer." He said softly. Natsu went limp and Cobra barely managed to catch him before he fell to the ground.

"Shit…warnings about that would be nice." Cobra hissed, hefting the Fire Slayer over his shoulder.

"Couldn't or Natsu would have known I was going to do it." Cristoff said with a sigh. They looked back, they were on the hill overlooking the city to the north, the Guild hall was no more, practically a field, a pile of heavy rubble. The city was ablaze and Cristoff pressed his lips together looking toward where he and Wendys house was…the flames were 100 feet high…their house was gone.

The army wasn't trying to take the city, they were burning it to the ground. They were on the far side of the worst of it, he could see the troops to the west, already heading inland.

Turning he focused his attention back on those with him, they were heading to regroup with those Erza had found including Master Makarov and there were probably wounded he would need to help.

Emma had her arm around Laxus' waist having already subdued his protests.

They reached the others less than an hour later and Cristoff was stunned to receive a sincerely grateful reception from Porlyusica.

"Over here boy, hurry, I can not stop the internal bleeding." She pulled him to Macao who was laying in the grass looking far too pale, Romeo is kneeling beside his father looking at Cristoff hopefully, eyes red, his arm bound and in a makeshift sling.

Cristoff draws a breath, settling beside Macao and focused as he had with Laxus, as he had with the woman in the forrest, drawing magic in, sensing the moonrise that will help him replenish his strength is about 3 hours away still.

Dipping into his third origin he starts mending, as ever from the inside outward, repairing damage, setting bone and knitting it. When he sits back Macaos breathing is normal, no rasp, no rattle and he's resting quietly.

Romeo puts a hand on his shoulder, looking at him with fierce eyes. "I never was mad you know…Wendy and I were only ever friends." He said.

Cristoff hadn't been worried about that, he wasn't the type of man that let things like that even enter into the realm of what he invested energy into but he nodded. "Keep him still if he wakes, what I've set right will be fragile for a couple of days. Once we've made camp, I'll set up a moonwell and you'll need to rest in it with him for a hour before you got to sleep ok?"

Romeo looked haunted "I don't think anyone will be sleeping much tonight." He said.

Cristoff smiled faintly, _if I order it, you will_. He thought.

Porlyusica took him to two others, Asuna had a broken ankle that was easy enough to set, then Makarov, Cristoff narrowed his eyes at the resting master.

He settled the high levels of stress in the man, put right the heart valve that was being testy, knowing strain would mess up what he'd done and also knowing nothing he told the master would make a difference as far as rest went. Rest and reducing stress really wasn't going to be possible for now. War had come to Fiore, the Alvarez Empire was invading.

Once everyone was stabilized they were on the move again and walked well into the night, sticking to cover. North was already ravaged as far as the invaders knew, according to the information they had from the handler the group of Berserkers taken to clear way for more troops would turn south to join up with the forces heading for Crocus.

They found a thicket that sheltered them and Cristoff set up the Moonwell, instructing Porlyusica in how to use it and its waters.

"Simple, it collects power from the moon and converts it into healing invigorating energy that will soak into anyone who soaks in the silver water. Gather a little of the water before we start soaking people and it can be used against dehydration and internal bruising." He explained. Porlyusica smiled faintly "Pretty handy."

Cristoff sighed "Yeah, it's slow acting, an hours soak is needed for full effect, but it doesn't draw magic energy from me once its cast and will soak into the ground once I'm a certain distance from it, any enemy of mine who touches it gets the opposite effects from it too."

Porlyusica nodded, herding a staggering Magao and a grumbling Makarov to be the first into the well while Cristoff went to climb a rocky outcropping nearby so he could lay in direct moonlight and watch over the camp.

They had 15 mages here, where the rest were nobody really knew or wanted to discuss. He was painfully drained but as soon as the moonlight hit his skin he felt better, shedding his vest so more skin was exposed he lay quietly watching the camp beneath him and looking out over the trees.

"Cobra says you made Natsu sleep." A small voice said and he turned to face Happy who was glaring at him.

"Yes, I did, he was irrational and endangering everyone by being loud, he could have given our position away to the enemy army, killed all of us if I hadn't made him quiet." Cristoff replied.

"You should wake him up now, they said you could." Happy was glaring at him, the little blue exceeds body shaking in anger.

"Only if you promise me you will not take him back to Magnolia yet, not tonight." He said firmly.

Happy nodded "I promise I won't take him back tonight." Happy vowed.

Cristoff nodded, "Then go wake him, I wont keep him asleep anymore."

Happy flew back down into the camp to where Natsu had been set down. A few minutes later the Fire slayer was crouching beside him on the rock.

"You can teleport back there." He said quietly.

"Yes but I won't yet." Cristoff replied. Natsu frowned, both surprised Cristoff hadn't told him he wouldn't and by the "yet".

"Why not?" Natsu demanded. "You know that egg needs us."

Because we will need Lucy, specifically Virgo, to get to it and I need to build my strength so we don't have to march 15 people for more than a week back to Shirotsume, if I regain magic energy enough I can teleport groups of five right to the fucking front doors of the fortress." He said quietly.

"I was sort of hoping that was an option." Laxus' voice joined them, Cristoff looked down to see the lightning slayer leaning against the rock beneath where he and Natsu sat.

"It is, the farther we travel the larger the group I can move at once, by the end of a trek tomarrow I should have enough energy to take 5 people and return." Cristoff replied.

"I can make jumps, probably get two people up there in about six good sized ones…but I feel…" Laxus wasn't sure how to describe how he felt right now, he'd nearly died at Tartaros, so he knew near death, he had a feeling though this time he'd stepped over the line and like the woman in the forest, Cristoff had pulled him back.

"You're fragile, will be for another 24 hours I'd say, make sure you soak in the moonwell, it's pulling strongly now from the moonlight, it will help you, a lot." Cristoff said plainly.

"So…you're going to take me back for the egg after we get to Shirotsume?" Natsu asked.

"You are seriously obsessed Natsu." Laxus growled.

The Fire slayer shrugged, eyes not leaving the Lunar slayer stretched out before him on the rock as if he were sunbathing. He smiled, well, Lunar slayer…he was moonbathing, made sense.

"Yes I will Natsu, you just have to convince Lucy and Cobra, since Cobra gets a say as her mate about whether or not she's setting foot in conquered territory." He replied.

Natsu nodded and jumped down, a few minutes later both Cristoff and Laxus snorted when they heard Cobra.

"Fuck that, not without me you crazed lighter!"

Xoxoxoxoxxoxoxoxoxoxxoxoxoxxoxoxxoxoxoxoxxoxoxoxxo

Levy choked on a sob, Lucy sinking into a chair as the images came over the lacrima showing Magnolia. The reporter said they had been forced to evacuate, to run to escape the dragon that preceded the invading forces but that the armies of Fiore were on the move to engage the forces. Problem was there were three fronts to fight on.

Gallowstown hadn't fared much better than Magnolia, it was believed the forces had attacked and routed through Magnolia so they could use the rail lines to move equipment toward Crocus.

Wendy was crying, hugging Lucy, the two getting what comfort they could from each other, the shattered guild hall had been among the images.

They had spoken with Laxus and Makarov, knew a group was trying to make their way to Shirotsume.

Frightened, the townspeople who had been sheltered during the attack had been trying to decide what to do. Right now the rail lines were still open to Oak Town, but Oak Town wasn't that far from Gallowstown which had been overrun. There was talk about Rosegarden being a good place to go to, with the temple of Venus there able to shelter hundreds and multiple resorts there as well. The train was only coming as far as the Mt. Hakobe station from Oak Town, and only that far because the military had commandeered it and was using the line to get troops and supplies to the front near Oshibana.

It might not run much longer so many of the people were leaving on the one going through today.

There was talk of making Shirotsume a fall back or medical location since the rail lines were intact and supplies and wounded could still get to it.

They knew the enemy had been relying on that airship to ruin the rail lines up this way, so it was a blessing the Fairy Tail mages had brought it down.

Gajeel came in flanked by Freed "Ok, none of the townspeople are staying, they're all getting on the train and getting passage from the military up to Rosegarden." He said gruffly. Pulling Levy up from where she'd curled into a weepy ball on the couch.

They were sticking to the command area on the fourth floor, they could see everything from there.

The open area that was over the section on the third floor they had fought from just the night before was now filled with a few cots, a couch, some chairs and a Lacrima screen from one of the rooms.

Everyone had slept up here the night before, well, they'd stayed there, not many of them had slept.

Wendy and Lucy were both on edge, though both had gotten to speak with their mates, the separation just added to their stress.

Freed and Bickslow were both a little edgy too. Laxus hadn't looked well when they'd spoken to him, admitting to having a close call in the fight with Levia but he'd had Emma tucked up against his side when he'd talked to them and considering, was in ok spirits.

They had lost people though…Fairy Tail had lost people. Nab, Vijeeter and Wakaba had fallen. Warren, Max, Mira, Lisanna, Elfman and Evergreen hadn't been heard from yet. The group with the Dragon Slayers counted 16 but some were branching off to check on family already, afraid for them and Makarov wasn't stopping them.

Alzack, Bisca, Asuna, Porlyusica, Romeo, Macao, Emma, Erza and the Master were who the slayers were escorting to Shirotsume.

"Military is going to make this town a medical depot, they're commandeering the medical center here, I think they know Wendy is here and are hoping to call on you kid." Gajeel said.

"I'll be happy to help all I can." She said in a wavering voice that had Bickslow moving over to ruffle her hair and drop onto the couch beside her.

"We'll have to make sure they don't drive her into magic deprivation." Charle said firmly.

Wendy sighed, meeting her friends determined eyes.

"Charle, I won't let them push me that far, I know how to pace myself now, Cristoff has hammered it into me for more than year. I'm no good to anyone worn out with no magic." The last bit was something Cristoff had told her repeatedly, and it had stuck she realized, smiling faintly.

She missed him…painfully. But she knew he was with the others, trying to get back to her and until he did, she had a duty to their family and to the people of Fiore, the soldiers fighting to save their country.

Two days passed, it seemed every day was far far too eventful. Shirotsume began taking in wounded and the military sent doctors and took over the medical clinic both at the resort and in the town. Gajeel was adamant about not allowing them to take over the resort and fortunately, had the backing of the King and Hisui herself told the general that wanted to move his officers into the finest suites the resort had and take over the pool area for himself and his officers as well that if she heard so much as a whisper of any military pressuring any member of Fairy Tail or trying to take over so much as a broom closet in the resort she'd send him and anyone else involved to the front as a private.

So that ended the brief power struggle that occurred when the military took over Shirotsume.

They couldn't complain much, they got the four inns the town boasted as well as the luxurious hotsprings and Gajeel made a deal with them that if they provided supplies, his men could eat at the resort and ANY of his men could relax in the pool when they had time off.

Kinanas cooking far exceeded anything the military could do, so eating at the resort became a treat the officers used as motivation for troops.

At the end of the second day Wendy stood impatiently beside Gajeel and Levy as the moon rose high enough in the sky and were greeted after a short wait by Cristoff, Makarov, Porlyusica, Macao, Asuna and Emma.

Wendy rushed forward, Cristoff catching her as she jumped into his arms. "I missed you…" She breathed into his hair.

He held her tight to him and smiled "I missed you too love. Now stand back, I'm going to get the others. I can rest here, it's a lot safer than everyone waiting until my reserves are back up." He told her, setting her on her feet and back up a couple paces before vanishing again.

Clearing the area, they waited and sure enough, about a half an hour later, Cobra, Laxus, Alzack, Bisca and Natsu with a fully fluffed out Happy in his arms appeared, Cobra and Natsu grabbing Cristoff as he wavered and almost fell over, blood running from his nose.

Wendy rushed forward, running her hands over his face, pulling her scarf free to wipe away the blood. He smiled a little weakly "Not empty…but fucking close." He chuckled.

"Get him to a room to rest Wendy and then you need to introduce me to whoever I need to start hating profusely that is going to piss me off while I help with the wounded." Porlyusica said firmly.

"Yes ma'am." Wendy agreed, taking Cristoff up to the fourth floor. They were all sleeping up there now, having taken over rooms near the command center when they weren't huddling just outside its door.

When she took him to the bed he pulled her down on it with him and she squeaked but then laughed as his lips moved over her throat.

"Cristoff, I have to go introduce Porlyusica to the Chief medical officer." She protested, but didn't struggle much, turning to intercept his mouth with hers.

"Mmm, ok, but if I'm asleep before you get back it's your fault you get no sex until tomarrow." He warned, yawning. She kissed him again "Get some sleep handsome, I might or might not let you sleep through the night."

She was fairly certain he was out before she closed the door behind herself and hurried down stairs, wanting to get the introductions handled so she could go back and curl up next to her sleeping mate.

Porlyusica was waiting for her in the lobby and they walked to the medical wing of the resort. It wasn't huge, it hadn't been meant to be a hospital, just to serve as an infirmary, but it was bigger than the clinic in town, with 50 beds in the common area and 20 private rooms featuring state of the art equipment and it had been stocked with medicinal potions and elixirs made by Emma but those had been gone the first day the injured had started arriving.

They stopped at the small lab, Emma was already setting up inside of it, having salvaged some ingredients and incredibly grateful she'd sent a lot up to the resort so it would be ready when she finally got to it.

The young woman barely looked up, she had somehow gotten two frazzled looking privates assigned to help her and already had both men wide eyed and busy.

Once Porlyusica had started digging into the Chief Medical officer waving a hand to dismiss Wendy the Sky Slayer gratefully hurried back upstairs.

Cristoff laid just where she'd left him, still in his leather, even his boots were still on his feet and Wendy sighed. Unlacing the tops of the boots she pulled them from his feet and smiled a little wickedly.

He was exhausted, had not slept since he had left for Magnolia so he was truly out and she didn't plan to wake him. But she did plan to enjoy stripping him down and tucking him in.

He had blood on him, the knees of his pants were crusty with it but she was sure it wasn't his. She pulled the snug leather from him and smiled, he never wore anything under the leather set.

Once he was stripped down she was trying to push the large man to the side a little so she could work him under the blankets when arms closed around her and pulled her down on top of him making her giggle.

"Mmm, let me sleep….unless you have wicked ideas, then…don't waste those." He said huskily. She smiled, "Get under the covers, you're too big for me to move around." She ordered.

He obeyed but smiled sleepily "I think you move me just fine." He returned.

She laughed and he kissed her, but he lost ground to the exhaustion pulling at him and Wendy was soon leaning over him, pushing his black hair from his face before she got up, stripped down herself and climbed into the bed beside him, she was exhausted too, it was nearly impossible to sleep well separated from him, especially while she'd known he was out in the wilds somewhere with their friends trying to avoid enemy soldiers and get back to her.

Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxxoxoxoxoxoxxoxoxoxoxoxo

Levy watched as Gajeel finished talking to Makarov. He had held them all together the last couple of days, held her together. She was leaning on the fourth floor balcony railing that overlooked the lobby, elevators and staircases and when Gajeel started toward the stairs she went to their room to wait for him.

She was terrified, so afraid of every day she didn't want to get up to face it and so afraid of every night she didn't want to sleep.

There was no wondering how it could be worse. She knew the comfortable little two bedroom house in Magnolia they had called home was gone, images of the city ablaze hadn't been deniable.

All of her books, everything they had owned except for the clothing they had brought here was gone.

Still, when she walked into the suite Lily was curled up asleep on the sofa in the sitting area, Gajeels coat serving as a blanket. Their little "family" was safe and their guild members, well…Fairy Tail had fled to the winds in the wake of the chaos and destruction. She'd tried again to call Mira but Makarov had said not to worry yet, they had rushed from the guild to fight and it was very possible Mira hadn't grabbed her com lacrima when she'd run outside.

Mira knew to come to Shirotsume, though some of the others might not, Makarov was certain Mira did.

Levy looked out the window at the serenity of the mountains, dark giants under a clear night sky. She heard the door open and a minute later felt strong arms encircle her and she leaned back into Gajeels hard body with a sigh.

"I'm glad they're ok." She whispered.

Gajeel nuzzled into her hair, breathing in her scent, he was lucky, he hadn't had to be separated from her, he knew Cristoff and Cobra had to have been about out of their minds.

"The others will be ok, probably still on the move, either trying to get here or just heading to safety somewhere." He reasoned.

Levy nodded, knowing he was likely right but all things considered, she was scared.

Gajeels arms tightened around her and she sighed, he could feel it now, when her irrational emotions reared up, in fact he never seemed to miss them. "We'll be ok Lev, Makarov and Laxus are both smart as hell, we have 6 dragon slayers here, both you and Freed, Bickslow, Lucy, hell, we're in a ridiculously fortified building that has proven just how well it works, Bickslows Dad is supposed to call tomarrow with info on Boscos plan so Fiore doesn't have to fight this alone."

She knew all of it, it just sounded better coming from Gajeel than from her own mind oddly enough. He pulled her to the bed and down into it with him, wrapping himself around her protectively.

She fell asleep to the sound of his steady breathing.

Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

Laxus had passed out nearly the moment he'd laid back on the bed. Three days, two nights, he'd visited death and hadn't slept two seconds, mind racing so much that sleep just couldn't reach him.

In a comfortable bed, surrounded by the military inside the resort they had built to withstand a dragon attack, that had withstood the attack of berserkers without so much as a chipped bit of paint, he wasn't as steeled against sleep as he had been laying on the dirt feeling how tender his chest was.

Had Emma not stepped in when she did, allowing Cristoff to get to him, he'd be dead.

Pretty staggering thought. Cristoff was the only one among them who had faced things like this before, he'd been to war while in the service of the knights. It had shown.

He owed his life to Emma and Cristoff right now.

Emma, well…he knew how he planned to thank her, if things would ever slow down enough for the two of them.

Cristoff he also knew how to thank. No more separating him from Wendy if at all possible. Like Cobra he'd handled it fine, but Cobra had been with Lucy for more than a year, Cristoff and Wendy were still pretty "new", hell, Gajeel and Levy were too. Keeping them together would mean they could protect each other, which would help them to handle everything.

As much as he yearned for her, he was almost grateful he hadn't been able to get through the mating process with Emma yet. If anything happened…she was safer not bound to him, his near death in Magnolia had made that clear to him. So when she'd said she wanted to get some potions started before she turned in, he went to his own room and collapsed, needing sleep more than anything else.

Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxxoxo

"We can't stay here, we need to help!" Romeos frustrated cry had several of the older mages rolling their eyes or sighing.

They had heard from Mira at last, she and the others were safe, they had beaten the Sevenese forces west and gotten through the massing Fioran forces. The lack of rune knights hadn't gone un-noticed by the King and while the Council tried to whine that their forces were all out in the field fighting, the King issued an edict disbanding them, effective immediately. The Magic Council of Fiore was disbanded.

Properties were to be seized but when they tried to take ERA, a new problem was discovered painfully close to Crocus and behind the Fioran forces.

The Rune Knights.

ERA had somehow become a fortress, and the Rune Knights were dug in and prepared to fight.

Arman Pradesh outlined all of it, looking out at the handful of Fairy Tail mages from the lacrima screen in the meeting room on the fourth floor of the resort.

"The Boscan military is moving, but the important thing will be the magical forces, they will be shipping into Fiore via boats up the Peace River, which will deliver them behind the Fioran army, near the front line and close to ERA. They should make land within a few days. There are trains running between your location and Crocus. If you could meet them as they come in….please, Cristoff I know can get you there, he's been to Crocus many many times over the years. Also, a "Mest" is being sent to you to assist. You can help to guide our forces and take ERA, the Kings Army is not able to take on the Rune Knights so well entrenched there." The Ambassador looked at his two sons, Bickslow and Cristoff both smiling back at him, fierce determination in their eyes.

They couldn't speak for their guild, would go where Makarov and Laxus sent them, but they wanted to be there, wanted to help their country and fight alongside the forces being sent to take on the corrupted council remnants in ERA.

"So I guess we need a team…" Laxus breathed, almost shaking his head again, Fucking hell he was leaving Emma again. She was working like a fiend in her shop and the army needed what she could make here, she was safer here than really anywhere in Fiore at the moment, but still he felt like they just couldn't seem to catch a break.

"I can handle things here Laxus." Freed told him firmly, Cana nodded along with Bisca and Alzack who weren't keen on leaving their daughter anyway. "We'll hold things down here until Mira and the others get here."

Laxus nodded, "Ok, so Bix, Cristoff, Wendy, Lucy, Cobra, Gajeel and Levy. You're with me. Cristoff, Lucy Natsu, you have until 11am tomarrow to get your business done."

Natsu stood and Cristoff leaned over to kiss Wendy before joining the fire slayer, Lucy stood too, moving to follow the pair as they headed down stairs to get outside into the moonlight.

"Should be a quick job, did you talk to Virgo about what we were doing?" Natsu asked, looking over at Lucy.

She nodded, smiling slightly standing between the two dragon slayers. Natsu was raw primal power, stood just a little taller than her, muscular but still lithe in normal clothes aside from his pink hair, he fit into crowds but on her left Cristoff towered over them. Broad shouldered, he was like Laxus and Gajeel, he looked like a beast but between him and Natsu, Cristoff was calm, mannered, well spoken and had a certain elegance to him. They were contrasts.

She'd fallen for a man who fell in between them. Cobra had a primal side, a viciousness that surpassed probably even Gajeels dark side. He surpassed Natsu in raw power likely in part due to his sharper thinking and ability to stay level headed during a fight. While not the affectionate, tolerant man Cristoff was, Cobra had a very sweet loving side when he was alone with Lucy.

She had moments where she would watch Wendy cuddling with her mate, see Cristoff or even Gajeel pull their women in embraces, kiss them, she'd heard some of the the things Cristoff would say softly to Wendy. There would be bare moments where she wished Cobra would be like that, but then, the moment they were alone, he would be, and his wicked carnal side fit into Lucys own tendency toward being pretty lusty herself.

She liked how they almost attacked each other at times, how his hunger for her hadn't lessened one bit since he had first given her a taste of what he could do to her body on that train. She also enjoyed their biting sarcastic wordplay. She hoped one day he'd whisper he loved her by her ear, like Cristoff did so often with Wendy.

Still, Wendy needed that, she needed a man that was patient, affectionate and tolerant like Cristoff was. The whole thing with Cana had been pretty clear proof of that. While Wendy developed fully into the woman she wanted to be, she needed a man at her side that could support her.

Lucy didn't need that, she needed a man that challenged her, that made her proud of her sharper sides and could cross swords with her. She didn't doubt a man like Cristoff could handle her, but she just so deeply loved Cobras wicked ways, his nasty side sort of thrilled her. She was one of those women who liked a bad boy being bad.

That his nastiness had matured into a biting wit and ease in handling hard situations suited her. He still had times when he became cruel but never toward her and only when he really had little choice, but he had that depth, that level he could step to with ease.

Cobra wasn't thrilled with this mission, and had told Natsu that if Lucy had so much as a hair put out of place for this he'd make sure the Fire Slayer was so heavily poisoned he'd forget his name and how to walk.

The fewer Cristoff had to teleport the distance the more power he emerged with on the other side though so he could get them back out of there fast if needed.

Once outside Lucy slid Virgos key into her hand as Natsu grasped Cristoffs shoulder and the Lunar Slayer put an arm around Lucy.

His soft whisper of the spell preceded the bizarre sensation of the "shift" when their bodies were melded into moonlight and travelled through it.

The next moment they were standing on the hill above the guild among some bushes. The same spot Cristoff had memorized as they had fled from Magnolia a few days ago.

"Think…plan, disturbances will endanger the egg." Cristoff said instantly when Natsu started to rush forward. The Fire slayer looked at Cristoff and nodded and they took the time to look around.

Lucys heart just broke. Magnolia was nearly destroyed. Smoke still rose from smoldering fires and her eyes went to the street she and Cobras home was on and she pressed her lips together. There were still some houses standing, she couldn't tell if theirs was one of them, but at least their street hadn't been burned to the ground like so many others were. Carthe Cathedral still stood though it was damaged.

"Now, the Sevenese left, but there could still be lesser Berserkers left behind to keep people from returning, keep any resistance from forming behind them." Cristoff warned.

"Luce…get Virgo to dig me in." Natsu said as they stole their way down to the practice field behind the leveled guild hall, they stuck to the tree line, remained in the shadows and Virgo appeared, only bowing silently before she grabbed Natsu and the pair disappeared down a hole. Cristoff and Lucy crouched by the opening. Virgo would get Natsu to the egg and back out then collapse the tunnels and they would teleport back to Shirotsume so the egg could be set up by Juvia and Laxus again.

It took only minutes but Lucy still was clinging to Cristoff anxiously, fingers digging into the sleeve of his jacket absently as she strained to hear any sign of a Berserker.

She knew Cristoff would hear it, sense it, far before she would, and that of the Slayers he was probably the one who knew best how to fight the things, but it didn't stop her from being wired and tense.

There were…things..moving out in the city, she wasn't sure if it was a trick played by the still burning fires, or if there really were things out there but she trusted the instincts inside her that told her, evil dark things were prowling her beloved home town, had turned it into a very dangerous nightmarish place.

The ground shifted a little and Cristoff pulled her to him, clamping a hand over her mouth when she'd sucked in a breath to cry out in fear. They couldn't afford to draw attention.

Virgo appeared with Natsu, both wet but the fire slayer was grinned, the egg wrapped in his jacket against his chest.

"I shall collapse the tunnels the moment you leave Princess, doing so now might draw attention you can not afford." Virgo whispered.

Lucy just nodded and Cristoff clamped a hand on Natsus shoulder and pushed him and Lucy a couple of steps so moonlight filtered through the trees over them and Lucy closed her eyes in relief as the displacement sensation overcame her again and when she opened her eyes she was looking at the resort, Cobra waiting a few feet away.

While Lucy slide gratefully into Cobras arms and Cristoff swept a smiling Wendy up Natsu hurried to Laxus who was waiting by the doors.

They had prepared a chamber in the basement below the office, one of the stone make mages had customized it for just this purpose and drains were hooked up like the ones back at the guild. Natsu had snatched the two Lacrima as he'd been instructed and Laxu and Juvia reset them, activating them once Natsu was out of the chamber and once again the egg was enveloped in lightning and rain.

Two more months, Natsu kept thinking that, his brother or sister would hatch in two months and he would be there to care for the whelp, to teach it, love it, since Igneel and his mate could not be. It had given him purpose beyond anything he'd felt before, knowing this dragon was to be born, this child of Igneel.

He could honor Igneel, by being here for his sibling, since their father could not be.

He already loved it, male or female it didn't matter, the dragon in the egg was his family as sure as the members of Fairy Tail and Igneel. His devotion and protectiveness the other slayers respected and on a lesser level, shared.

They did not feel the kinship Natsu did, but every one of them appreciated how precious this egg was, how precious the dragon within it was. Not just to them, but to all of Earthland. Their world was a lesser place without dragons.

So they had all agreed this mission to recover the egg, so it could hatch in a safe place was necessary, well worth the risk.

A room had been set up next to the chamber for the egg too, because Natsu wouldn't consider sleeping far from it, so he and Happy had moved down into the basement. Happy wasn't thrilled with it, because he much preferred the comfortable suites on the fourth floor where everyone else was, but he accepted it, and was as excited as Natsu about the egg getting closer to hatching.

Natsu wouldn't go with them to ERA, partially because of his vigil over the egg, partially because Makarov wanted him and some other strong mages to remain. Mira and the others would be arriving soon, having finally arranged passage into the area, likely the day after Laxus and his team left.

The groups settled in for the night, tomarrow would see them leave for ERA.

Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

Levy gasped, her chest against the smooth wall, one leg hooked up over Gajeels shoulder as he pounded into her with mind numbing force from behind. She couldn't hardly make a sound beyond her guttural moans and mewls of pleasure, hands pressed against the cool smooth surface of the wall next to the windows for their balcony.

She'd teased him, deliberately too. Had hit him in the face with a pillow when he'd returned to the room after talking with Laxus then run from him through the suite. She'd heard the dark chuckle mixed with the growl behind her.

"Oh Shrimp…I'm way too wound up for you to play like this with me…" He growled.

"You don't scare me Gajeel!" She had called, trying to keep the bed between them, she'd planned to script herself a rope and escape out the balcony but he had, not surprisingly, out maneuvered her and caught her before she could even slide the glass door open. Pinned her to the wall and taken her so hard and fast she'd been left in a state of exhilarated shock for a few moments before his movement, the feel of him inside her had taken over completely.

They'd both been so stressed, beyond making out and cuddling for comfort they'd done little since the attack on Shirotsume.

They should have, Levy pushed back against him, savoring every sensation, letting it consume her completely until her mind just blanked out as her orgasm overwhelmed her. Gajeel thrust into her a couple more times, catching her when her leg gave out. He pulled her to him, carried her to the bed and they collapsed there.

"We really should do that more often." Levy said softly, kissing his neck, loving the feel of his thick hair against her face.

Gajeel growled softly, his hands sliding up her body and he laid her back, moving over her "I agree." He smirked, dipping to catch the peak of a breast in his teeth. Levy gasped, arching up into him.

When she'd caught him with the pillow he'd been exhausted, mentally riding an edge for days. Their home in Magnolia was burned to the ground, it could be rebuilt, would be he hoped, but that with all that was happening was taking its toll.

Sex had been the furthest thing from his mind the last few days, showing Levy affection, holding her, reminding her what she meant to him had come out, but sex he'd all but forgotten under the weight of all that was going on.

Chasing Levy around their suite though, watching her laugh, then feeling her body, plunging himself into her with reckless abandon, his mind closing out everything but her, Gods he'd needed it and he hadn't even realized he had.

Now as he moved more slowly, took his time drawing out the soft sounds he loved to hear from her, made her writhe beneath him he drowned out the world in chaos and found balance again in her, release, deep and desperate and profound flooded through him as he gave himself over to what he was doing.

He wouldn't deny this again, understood why Lucy and Cobra just about reeked of it every day, so did Cristoff and Wendy, when he was spent, Levys body draining him and leaving him exhausted in the best way possible he pulled her over with him.

In the midst of chaos, love just mattered too much.


	26. Chapter 26 The pool and Erzas bet

A/N...I now interrupt this invasion to insert a little light...not bright light, we are in the middle of an invasion, two cities have been razed, Wakaba is now setting off bombs pissing off angels instead of Macao, but I hope you guys are ok with a slight break, the next chapter won't be as light...DESNA

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Cana had taken to man watching, something that made Juvia blush when she did it. With the resorts pool being used as a reward for troops, they were being given passes to go and relax there, if she laid by the pool she got to watch them in their semi-naked state play volleyball in the pool emerge from the weight room freshly rinsed off from a hard work out to dive into the pool, all things that left her in a state of aroused calm. For her, it was like meditating.

The teams train wasn't leaving until close to noon, and Cana always caught the morning work outs men seemed to enjoy so much. She would bring her breakfast to the bar by the pool and just man watch contentedly. Occasionally cherry picking here and there when she found one that was too much to walk away from without attempting to get him into her room.

The whole episode with Wendy and Cristoff had left her shaken for a while, this was helping her get her equilibrium back.

It was wrong to be jealous, wrong to want another womans man, especially when that woman was sweet young Wendy. So Cana had taken to sticking to the background, been quieter than normal for her. She'd felt off balance, yes she hadn't been able to actually do much that night, but she'd gotten her eyes on the full picture of the man, run her hands over his body, been able to taste his skin, run her tongue over that wolf tattoo on his hip.

It had left her wanting him way more than she ever should have, she shouldn't have wanted him at all. Wendy was in love with him, he was her mate and he was in love with Wendy, and he didn't have any interest at all in Cana but her hottest most dirty dreams for more than a month now had featured long black hair and midnight blue eyes, wolf tattoos and taut tanned skin over hard muscle.

This had been almost therapy what she'd been doing around the pool. She'd been able to clear her head, not get distracted when Cristoff was around.

So she was sipping a mimosa, explaining this whole thing to Juvia who was two shades of red thinking about it.

"Seriously, these soldiers need the distraction, with Gray barely giving you the time of day, you really should think about it." She was saying.

"Think about what?" A light voice asked. Turning Cana smiled immediately watching Lucy and Wendy walking toward her in their swim suits.

"Ladies! I was telling Juvia she should pick out some sweet strapping soldier and give him some nice memories to carry with him. To what do we owe the pleasure of your company?" Cana was smiling, it felt good to have some of her friends here, and with Erza not far behind Lucy also in a bathing suit? The morning had just made itself worth getting up for.

Usually it was just her and Juvia down here.

There were only a couple of men in the pool, but she knew a few were in the weight room, she'd heard the weights being moved around and could hear the machines going.

"The guys are getting in a workout before we leave. Cristoff was complaining about needing it, Laxus and Gajeel too, then they drug Bix and Cobra along and well, here we are…is that a Mimosa?" Wendy eyed Canas drink with heightened interest.

"God that looks good, ok, I'm getting some food, Cana could you make me one of those too since I am guessing Wendy wants one?" Lucy sighed.

"Get a cart, bring lots, I'm hungry and I am certain once they are done the men will be as well." Erza said. Lucy nodded, wrapping her robe around her and hooking arms with Wendy "Allright, we should have thought of food sooner, while Cana mixes drinks lets go get enough food for everyone." She said and Wendy laughed, following her, also wrapping the robe she'd been carrying around her. If Lucy was covering up, she guessed she should too.

"One for me as well Cana if you would please." Erza said, putting her robe on a lounge chair near the bar while Cana was squeezing oranges in a little squeezer.

"So you have been fornicating with soldiers?" Erza asked.

Cana snorted "Ok, that word just lacks elegance, even just saying I am fucking soldiers sounds better than fornicating."

"You're fucking soldiers then?" Erza changed her verbage with a shrug.

Cana smiled, "Anything above average sexy that hits that pool is fair game." She smirked.

"I see. I understand from Cristoff and Bickslow that the Boscans encourage sex as a way to handle the stress and traumas of battle and war. Porlyusica even agreed with them, said that sexual release was a huge stress reliever." Erza said.

Cana smirked "Good for you on so many levels." She found agreeing with Porlyusica a little disturbing but there was no denying this.

"I might need to try it. I find myself having trouble concentrating, I am worried about this invasion, terribly so, seeing the guild hall collapse, even knowing the Master had done it and why was…very upsetting, and Fair Hills was burning…I doubt it still stands." She said quietly. "I don't know if Laxus' house is still standing either. Perhaps if I have sex I will be less upset."

Cana sighed, "Well, it sure couldn't make anything worse."

"Then you will help me select a partner. I will entrust you with that since you are so skilled in the area of sex. I am not a virgin…but I do lack…social skills in that area." Erza said flatly.

Cana grinned "Oh I'll be happy to help!"

Placing a mimosa in Erzas hands she started describing what to look for in a good candidate for a sex partner.

"I am having trouble visualizing…perhaps comparisons." Erza suggested a few minutes later.

Cana sighed. That was when the gym door opened and one of her favorite partners for fun came through it.

Bickslow.

The man was just tasty. Tall, with a gymnasts body that was proportioned just perfectly. Tan skin graced with elegant tattoos similar to Cristoffs though he had a wolf on one pectoral near an alchemic symbol for souls and one low on his abdomen that always was peeking over the waistline of his pants or shorts.

Right now he was in black swim trunks, damp from rinsing off after working out and he looked just fine. She hadn't been after him since they'd come back from Autumn City more than a year ago, they had kind of gone their separate ways, but the guilds Seith mage was probably one of the best partners Cana had ever had in bed, lusty, lots of stamina, and oh so incredibly good with his tongue.

"Bickslow, fine body, easy to hold onto, he has agility, stamina and I can say from experience, he's very good in bed. Fun, light hearted, he'd make you one hell of a fuck buddy Erza." Cana said quietly.

She watched as Bickslow stepped aside then and crouched and her voice fell silent, what was he doing?

A moment later the door to the gym opened again and the Seith pounced, with the door in the way they didn't get to see who he was wrestling with but a moment later several cursing shouting bodies tumbled out the door and fell into the pool, the Seith mage breaking the surface toward the middle laughing.

A moment later a blonde head popped up.

"Bix, I'd shock you unconscious if it wouldn't fry innocent people in the process." Laxus growled.

"Hah! Collateral damage Boss, I was only after little bro, you just got in the way." The Seith laughed. Not to far from him Cristoff surfaced, reaching up to shove his wet hair back off his face and fixing narrowed eyes on his brother.

"You're gonna pay for that…" He said and lunged, Bickslow yelped and tried to dodge but Cristoff had sheer size and power going for him, the pair were about the same height, but Cristoff was heavier built and he caught his older brother by the arm, not a good thing considering Cristoffs thickly muscled arms and the addition of his dragon slayer strength.

Bickslow was hurled to the other end of the pool and came down hard right in front of the women who screamed as a wave of water washed over them.

Erza stood, drenched, her mimosa now washed with pool water. She handed the glass to Cana "Another please…I'll be back shortly." Pushing her dripping hair back from her eyes as Bickslow surfaced again laughing but when he looked down the pool he saw Laxus and Cristoff both staring wide eyed past him, even Gajeel and Cobra who had just come out were frozen.

Blinking, the Seith turned and saw Erza and blanched under her dark gaze. "Uh…yeah so I was flung over here…totally not my fault…" He stammered, starting to swim back toward the others.

"You started this, you would not have been flung had you not assaulted Laxus and Cristoff." Erza stated coldly, stalking toward him.

"But I didn't involve you…on purpose…" Bix knew that was a lame stab at calming the redhead but he was just a little concerned about what she might do. She looked just about edible in the little Yellow bikini she had on, and her long red hair hanging in a wet sheet down her back just added to that.

Erza had always been an issue for every male in the guild, she was gorgeous, with a nice chest, rocking body overall and so volatile and quick to retaliate with violence involving things like swords and axes as long as Bix was tall in some cases. So, you kind of wanted to fuck her but do it while shaking in fear for your life…

Jellal had almost made it work…almost, but the man had been so overwhelmed by the knight and told the woman so many lies trying to keep her calm and himself in one piece, it had finally all caught up to him in a big mess that had left Erza an emotional wreck for nearly two months and involved Jellal ending up in the hospital.

The men at the Raijinshuu table had raised their glasses to him, he had fucked and lived through Erza Scarlett.

Bix had entertained the idea of asking her out a few times, partly because, well, she was gorgeous, brave, and a woman of hefty passion. But also because he leaned toward a little bit of deathwish, according to Freed anyway, he preferred to think of himself as a thrill seeker.

Trouble was, the woman wasn't exactly approachable, and, Bickslow didn't date. Nope, just fucked. He knew where his strength and talents were and liked to work on endlessly improving them. He couldn't exactly work out how to safely convince Erza Scarlett a tumble or two in the sheets with him was something he'd make sure she enjoyed as long as she didn't cut off any of his body parts in the process.

Watching her stalking him right now set off a bunch of reactions in him. First off, it was sexy, a wet woman in a bikini coming at him? Yes please.

She was though, deadly at hand to hand combat, sword or no, she could break him in half even as strong as he was. Hell Laxus, Gajeel and Cristoff, three men who could each bench over 800lbs and who he had watched do so just a few minutes ago all looked nervous and ready to run and she wasn't even after them.

If he could turn this into fun though…maybe instead of getting dead, he could get the knight to smile and in the process, maybe even cop a feel or two. He drifted to where he got a good purchase on the floor of the pool, watching her and smiled faintly…yep…worth the risk.

"Come on Red, you were going to go swimming anyway right? How about we settle this with a game?" He challenged. The actually made her stop and she narrowed her eyes.

"Explain." She snapped.

Bickslow grinned.

"Guys versus girls, water volleyball." He offered.

He had Cristoff, who he already knew played volleyball like a beast in the sand or the water because White Sea had both at their Guild Hall. Laxus, who was also brutal at the game. He wasn't sure about Gajeel and Cobra but both men were plenty athletic and strong, fuck they were Dragon Slayers, he'd bet they would do fine.

Erza crossed her arms beneath her breasts and smiled "Very well, we accept, winner gets to ask one thing of the loser and the loser must give it."

Bickslow grinned "Deal!" He agreed.

"Bix!" Laxus and Cristoff both protested in unison.

He looked at them. "What? You two both know how to play." He was still grinning, he already knew what he was going to demand of Erza, a nice long kiss sounded good to him…something he could take without retribution that would come with serious bragging rights.

"And so does Lucy and did you forget Juvia is a fucking water mage?" Laxus snapped.

Bix shrugged, ok, yes he'd not…thought about that…Cana was laughing, setting up the net while Juvia went to retrieve the ball from a storage closet and, luckily. Lucy and Wendy returned bearing a cart full of food that smelled amazing.

"Okay, because I want to eat and some of you are leaving in a few hours, we play to 10 points, first team to reach ten points, wins." Cana called. They agreed and everything was explained to Lucy and Wendy who both laughed. Lucy narrowing her eyes at Bickslow "You do remember last summer don't you? Every summer? I ALWAYS kicked your ass at this." She grinned and Bickslow frowned…ok…yeah, so maybe he'd forgotten about that too, yeah…whenever he'd played against Lucy she did always win, he blamed her boobs for distracting him and giving her godlike buoyancy or something.

They took their places and Lucy set up to serve because Bickslow lost the coin toss. Ignoring the disgusted looks of his team mates he took his place and Lucy sent the ball rocketing so fast it was barely fucking visible at them.

Fortunately, Laxus was called the Thunder God for a good reason, his reflexes lived up to his magic. He set it and Bickslow spiked it back but Erza intercepted it and the women had their first point when Gajeel, who was not as fast in the water as he was on foot, couldn't get to it fast enough.

Lucy grinned, serving another hard one right at her own mate. She wasn't sure if he could even play this game. Cobra hadn't ever played it before, however, he was fast, agile, an exceptionally good swimmer and a quick study. His return of the ball was fast, too fast for Juvia.

Cristoff took the serve and since he wasn't sure about Wendy but had seen the others, he aimed for her. Bad idea.

Wendy loved the water, and had spent summers in the guild pool playing countless games like this. She was fast, and accurate. Even Laxus couldn't return her spike.

The men who had been there to swim were now sitting watching, cheering either for their brethren, or for the gorgeous bikini clad women, or at least for seeing those women jumping up and down in the water.

8 to 9, women had the lead and Bickslow served, the ball was volleyed back and forth and after a few minutes it was clear the men weren't going down without a full showing of effort, that was…in vain when Wendy shot one at Bickslow and he hit it but his foot slipped on the floor of the pool and it landed out of bounds.

Cheering rose up and Bickslow groaned as Cristoff and the others patted his shoulder "Maybe she won't ask you to bend over and hold still for her to cut your head off." Gajeel snorted, then looked at Erzas wicked smile and laughed "But don't get your hopes up."

They adjourned to eat and Erza eyed Bickslow seriously afterward when he came up to her.

"Ok, you won, what are you having me do? Just remember I leave for the mission in..", he glanced at the clock on the wall, just after 8am "4 hours and I need at least a little time to recover from whatever you're going to do to me and pack." He said.

She nodded "I will not leave you unable to serve well on the mission, it is far too important." She said calmly. Her eyes travelled over him then and Bickslow saw her cheeks pinken.

Wait…was she just checking him out? No way….Fuck! She was so looking! He suppressed a smile, waiting for her to tell him what he was to do.

"Come with me." She said abruptly, turning on her heel and walking swiftly enough Bickslow actually had to jog a couple steps to catch up and fall in with her.

He'd never been the overly patient type. "Where are you taking me?" He asked, not liking not knowing exactly what his fate was.

They went up the elevator to the fourth floor and she didn't answer him with more than a "Just keep up."

When she stopped and unlocked a door he was more than a little concerned because he was pretty sure it was her room.

It was, various pieces of armor were set up here and there, a couple on the living area table where she had been polishing or repairing things.

She turned to face him, drawing a deep breath "I want you to have sex with me." She said bluntly.

Bickslow blinked, his brain wasn't working. He hadn't heard that, he'd been watching her ass the whole way up here in that little yellow bikini bottom, contemplating whether or not Jellal had gone to the hospital before or after Erza had gotten hers. Based on the duration of the mans stay he was betting before, sexual frustration, years of it, the woman had to have unleashed that on him.

"Wha…what did you say?" He smiled, half laughing at himself, he was thinking too much about all the nonsense he'd been preoccupied with since seeing the knight in the bikini.

Erza stepped up to him, reaching up and pulling the strip free that was holding her top up and Bickslow was suddenly face with two of the finest breasts he'd ever seen, and the realization he hadn't heard her wrong when she said "I want to have sex with you Bickslow."

He blamed his inability to think from that moment forward on the fact that most of the blood in his body immediately rushed to his groin. His body had absolutely no problem at all getting that command from Erza.

"You…seriously?" He looked at her suspiciously, this would be a really nasty cruel joke he wasn't sure Erza was capable of but he knew his brother, Laxus, Cobra and Gajeel certainly were.

She stepped up so those glorious breasts were now touching his bare chest "I am serious, I…need it…with you…" she said and the uncertainty, and the blush so didn't fit the Erza he knew and Bickslows brain, deprived of blood, really didn't know how to process this so he just let his body take over.

Bending his head down as he slid a hand under her chin he narrowed his eyes "I'm just going to go with this then, but you draw a sword and I'm outa here." He smiled and she leaned up for the kiss he was coming for.

Crimson hair that felt like silk slid through his fingers and Bickslow put one hand behind her head, letting the other slid down smooth skin to the curve of her hip.

The woman had amazing curves too. Everyone always went on about Lucy and Mira, but Erza had them too, just as sexy too, and wrapped in a dangerous package he found tantalizing.

Erza wanted sex? With him? He wasn't sure what he'd done but he planned to try drowning her again when he got back since that seemed to have done something to make this happen.

Bickslow was a thrill seeker, and Erza Scarlett combined satisfaction of that along with being a gorgeous woman and he was getting to fuck her? All of his favorite things in one package.

Once it was clear Bickslow wasn't rejecting her, that he was willing, his kiss just about turning her knees to water, the hand at her hip moving to her ass, his other hand joining it to lift her up and she was surprised by the move but put her arms around his neck, continuing to kiss him, moaning when his tongue started sliding against hers, teased her lips, made her body feel hot in the few steps he took to her bed.

When he laid her back she pulled him with her, afraid if he stood he'd turn and leave. It was practically what Jellal had done the time they had slept together. He'd laid with her, taken her virginity, then…the man seemed to love to wallow in self hatred and grief, he'd apologized, run from the bed, from her, she hadn't spoken to him again for almost three months and when she'd finally seen him, he told her…a month earlier he'd married Meredy.

He'd apologized again, said he had been so torn between her and Meredy, he'd slept with her hoping it would ease his confusion and…it had, and he'd chosen Meredy.

She'd been devastated by the blow. She'd felt they were meant to be together but he just hadn't felt the same way. She'd made him share some of her pain, made him feel what taking advantage of a womans feelings could mean, he'd barely defended himself.

It hadn't made her feel better. She'd been hollow inside since then. Watched Lucy find love with the Poison Slayer of all people. Seen Gajeel finally admit how he felt for Levy and take the steps to join them together. She'd even watched the dark haired Lunar Slayer sweep Wendy so completely off her feet and unlike most young women, Wendy had gotten the man of her dreams because Cristoff fell in love with her and they were mated.

If she couldn't find love, then this, this was enough. Bickslow was strong, lusty, just as Cana had said, and while Erza had no idea what she was doing, he was a very well experienced and willing guide.

He smelled so incredibly good, felt even better once the swim trunks were gone. She was frustrated, she wanted to be going with the team into battle. She understood the importance of having strong mages here to defend this place, this last remaining sanctuary for Fairy Tail, but she wanted to fight.

Watching their home town fall had been an agony she still couldn't come to terms with. Her heart ached, her soul wept, and as Bickslows hands moved over her skin, caressed her body, his lips hot on her chest, fingers beginning a slow, heated build of tension through her body as they invaded her core she forgot about it all, became consumed by him, he tasted like some exotic sweet spice and his tongue, kept sending wild jolts of excitement straight to her center as it wrestled with hers.

Cana hadn't been wrong about his body, she'd seen him in swim trunks, even in those short jogging shorts he'd wear when he was running, knew he had a sculpted, hard muscled body, but having her hands on it was like a drug, it added more thrills to all that were coursing through her as she explored his back, his sides, the ass Cana had given a rank just below Laxus' and that only because Laxus didn't hide his body in armor like Bickslow did so Cana said Laxus got a bonus for not always being hidden under his coat, letting himself be eye candy more often than Bickslow.

Squeezing the hard muscle she decided she would argue the point next time the topic came up. "Gods…" Bickslow breathed as she drug her nails from his ass up his sides, she gripped his shoulders and made him gasp by reversing their positions.

Play could come later, right now Erza wanted to fill herself with a willing man, straddling him she smiled down at him, meeting his surprised dark red eyes with her own deep brown gaze and watched his eyes close, head tilt back as she lowered herself onto him.

She'd wanted to do this with Jellal, had dreamed about it, had even talked about taking a dominant position during sex, just taking a man, because she had wondered, as timid as Jellal seemed to be with the subject, if that wouldn't be the only way to break through his nerves.

Cana had warned her some men weren't fond of it, it took so much control from them and mens bodies were built to provide that nice hard thrust they liked. Well, Erza had a body well suited for strain and so when she started riding Bickslow, she did it with such force she was sure he didn't feel deprived.

All the Seith could really do was focus on getting air in between he powerful downward thrusts, guiding her, tilting her hips this way and that until she reacted how he wanted then he started meeting her thrusts.

It was incredible, deep, powerful, and he was loving every moment of it but knew he could make it better, she needed a different angle, working one too long decreased the sensitivity that could bring her to a really body raking end and he wanted her to have that, sensed she just needed it, hell, he did too.

So he moved, he strained to change their position up, gripping her hard against him as he sat up and got his legs under him so he could sit back on them, holding her in his lap he scooted back until he was close to the headboard of the bed and caught her in a kiss that slowed her assault on his body.

"Now…grip that headboard, and we'll see just how hard you really want this…"He said huskily by her ear, his hands gripped her ass, which he was willing to bet was as hard muscled as his own and felt so good in his hands he decided that this couldn't be their only time, he was going to fight for more even if he had to face down her swords, Erza was moaning, gasping, making sounds he wouldn't have thought the woman capable of.

She gripped the headboard and smiled through her lust hazed expression at him, new leverage have her as much power as him.

They became almost punishing in their movements, each time he drove into her was almost painful but in a deeply satisfying, thrilling way. They were wet with seat, both dripping as they worked their bodies against each other with all the strength they had.

Erza lost in pleasure hitting levels she hadn't even though existed, and Bicsklow immersed in his natural deep drive to leave his mark on her, to just about ruin her for any other man he'd make her feel so good.

Leaning back she groaned as a shift in her position brought him deeper into her body and her breasts up enough his hungry mouth caught a pink peak between wicked teeth.

It was the last thing her body could take, the spring inside her snapped and she cried out in shock as her whole body tensed and fell into shattering waves of pleasure.

She had brought herself to orgasm before, had not reached it with Jellal the one brief round she'd had with him.

Having a mans body bring it to her though was a different experience, feeling his length inside her as her inner walls contracted on that hardness. He shuddered "Nngh!...shit…too good…" He gasped out, pulled over his own edge by her hard spasming core clamping down rhythmically on him., he spilled into her and her body just pulled it all from him greedily until he let his head fall back against the headboard, sucking in ragged breaths, sweat dripping down his face and chest.

Erza smiled, she felt almost boneless for a few minutes, but then her eyes slid down the man still inside her, his head tilted back, handsome face smiling lazily, eyes closed, dark blue and black hair falling messily over his sweaty brow.

Her hands slid over his slick chest, following the path her eyes took down his body to where they were joined and she rolled her hips experimentally.

She felt the length inside her move and smiled, rolling her hips again, realizing he had more to give and she had only to take it.

"Oh…fuck woman…round two huh?" He smirked at her, red eyes playful, he slid a hand into her damp red hair and pulled her into him for a kiss she deepened immediately, tilting her head to get a nice angle so she could plunder his mouth the moment his lips parted.

He groaned into her mouth as she gripped the headboard again and started moving on him. Gods help him, he hadn't even had time to catch his breath fully.

Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxxo

Cana watched as Cristoff emerged from the water at Wendys coaxing.

It wasn't fair, really, First Laxus had climbed out and was stretched out on a lounge chair chatting with Juvia and Gajeel, she'd watched each man come up out of that water looking good enough to eat but Cristoff.

What was wrong with her? He belonged to Wendy. As he stood up, pulling himself out of the pool, gripping the metal bars on each side of the underwater ladder water ran down that tall tanned body.

He wore snug short swim trunks, dark blue with a logo on the side of the thigh in red. There wasn't an inch of him that wasn't near flawlessly masculine and he was smiling, those dark blue eyes on Wendys as she slid her hands up that wide sculpted chest and tilted her head back to accept his kiss her eyes just radiated how much she loved the man and there was no mistaking her returned every bit of it.

He had made a woman out of Wendy, not that she wouldn't have gotten there on her own, but he'd given her such a hand up, increased her magic abilities just hugely, given her confidence and she had blossomed with him at her side in every way.

Watching the once shy young woman pushing her large mate backwards until he fell into a lounge chair and she could pounce on him, the couple laughing until their laughs died away to long kisses and a whispered conversation that had Wendy blushing but absolutely beaming.

Cana heaved a sigh.

"So far out of your reach you need to get over it Drunk, he's mated, and very happily and he makes Wendy so ridiculously happy I have a hard time listening to her at times without wanting to puke." Cobra took a seat at the bar and Can frowned at him.

"I didn't ask your opinion." She snapped, still uncapping a cold beer and handing it to him. Alcohol had no real effect on him but he still enjoyed it.

"No but you need to hear it. I've been catching your inner struggles over Moony there, seriously, you tricked Wendy into getting you into their bed once already and that was low and you fucking know it. It's Wendy, Wendys happiness, her whole heart and soul are wrapped up in that man just like his are in her, you can't even think about it, you have to find a way to stop. The mates of Slayers are as sacred, hell, more sacred than the marriages of regular couples and you fucking know it." Cobra said quietly.

He hated shit like this, it was why he'd not wanted to join Fairy Tail at first, if you were around a lot of people drama became almost unavoidable.

But he loved Lucy, and so was as committed to Fairy Tail as she was because of her and he cared deeply for Wendy. Cana was Nakama, but Wendy was kin, so was Cristoff through his mate, and Canas semi obsession with the Lunar Slayer was getting unhealthy. Her fantasies about the man almost made Cobra blush and that was saying something.

Listening to her, getting unwillingly drug into seeing her imagining herself fucking Cristoff on that lounge, seeing her eye fucking the man every damn day, he'd finally decided it was time to say something to her, remind her that Cristoff wasn't fodder for her dirty desires, he was mated, to a sweet wonderful young woman and the couple adored each other.

"I realize all of that…it's just not as simple as deciding I don't want to think that way, my mind just wanders." Cana protested angrily.

As soon as it was out of her mouth she was seeing herself in Wendys place in the mans arms, receiving those kisses, talking quietly to him while running her fingers through his damp hair and laying on top of his tall body.

Cobra glared at her and Cana groaned "See? I don't want to think about those things they just pop into my head!" She groaned.

"Yeah well, Gods know how long we'll be gone, you'll have time to quit that shit, find a man whos not the mated love of Wendys life to lust after instead ok?" Cobra snapped. Just then Cristoff suddenly stood, sweeping Wendy up over his shoulder and slapping her butt, making her shriek, the expression on his face purely wicked as he carried her away toward the elevators ignoring her laughing protests and fists hitting his back. It was obvious both what they were thinking and where they were headed.

Cobra turned his own attention to the gorgeous blonde coming out of the pool, he was almost getting used to the raging mental hard ons and real ones she often inspired just by walking innocent and oblivious by other men. Almost, he still cast the offenders nasty looks then smirked as the object of all their desires slid her arms around him and kissed him, smiling up at him and grinning when he recoiled a bit from her dripping all over him.

"You know there are towels, and you have a robe." He pointed out in mild annoyance.

Lucy shrugged "You love me like this." She smirked.

He smiled "So does almost every other man here." He pointed out.

Her smirk turned into a saucy grin "Yeah, but I'm not going to pull any of those men back to my room and fuck them till they can't see straight."

Cana whistled "Whoo, you go Lu, assholes too full of himself, you ride some of the venom out of him." She grinned, ignoring Cobras sharp look.

Lucy pulled his face back to her so she could kiss him again, pressing her body against him and sifting her fingers into his still damp dark hair.

A moment later she let out a shriek similar to the Sky Dragon Slayers a few minutes earlier as Cobra hefted her unceremoniously over his shoulder and carried her off to the elevators.

A minute later Gajeel walked up "Gimme a beer and a big mimosa." He said.

Cana smiled "Bringing Levy a nice late morning pick me up?" She asked as she uncapped a beer for him and mixed up a mimosa. Gajeel smirked "Not letting the other slayers have all the fun." He replied, taking the drinks and heading off to find his mate.

Cana sighed, letting her eyes wander around the people at the pool, smiling slightly as she met the gaze of a redheaded young soldier, tall, built nicely, she knew just the cure for her wayward thoughts…

Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Laxus glared at Bickslow as the man fell into the seat beside him, grinning like an idiot, which wasn't out of character, but the way he smelled sure was.

The lightning slayers glare fell into a shocked expression as Bickslow started to stow his bags only to have Lucy tap him on the shoulder, an expectant looking pink haired maid tapping her foot and holding a hand out to him.

Laxus was speechless but Cristoff wasn't.

"Holy hell Bix, how many times did the Redhead fuck you anyway?" The Lunar Slayer grinned up at his brother and Bickslow shrugged, dropping back down beside Laxus after giving his bags to Virgo.

He'd showered…not alone, more than once actually, but he knew dragon noses couldn't be led off track by that, especially when he'd had to use Erzas bodywash instead of his own. By the time he got to his room he'd barely had time to pack and run for all he was worth to jump onto the already moving train.

His legs ached, his whole body had that pleasant ache you got when you'd worked muscles good and hard. He could have spared himself the work out that morning if he'd known Erza was going to work him harder, and much more enjoyably too.

Wendy was owl eyed, she smelled it too and was stunned. Erza had…"Oh my God…was that the bet?!" She breathed in disbelief.

"I paid in full." Bickslow grinned, leaning back in his seat, Laxus still staring at him in shock.

"You broke Laxus Bixy." Cobra snickered.

Glancing at Lucy who was also owl eyeing the Seith mage in stunned silence he rolled his eye "and my mate too, come on Tink, snap out of it, soul boy fucked the Amazon because she won the bet and that's what she demanded as payment, nobody is hurt or anything, damn woman needed a good fuck if you ask me, way to go Bix. Public service, maybe she'll calm down a little."

"Cobra!" Levy protested, then smacked Gajeel because he was snickering "Erza is a good friend, Nakama!" Levy reminded both Slayers. Gajeel didn't even flinch.

"Yeah and she needed a good roll in the sack too, hope you wore her out Bix." Gajeel responded, earning himself another smack on the arm from his glaring mate, which he ignored, pulling her, protesting, into him for a hard kiss that left her face flushed "You know it helps." He whispered and Levy blushed crimson, puffing her cheeks and frowning.

Lucy recovered when Cobra pinched her hip and got himself a smack that was substantially harder than what Levy had doled out but he chuckled as she leaned across him "Bickslow, you better have made her happy, not pulled any pranks or anything…" Lucy warned.

Bix was a great guy, she knew he was, and as fun as the day was long but he had a wicked streak in him, loved to tease people and pull pranks and Erza was still a little tender from the whole Jellal thing even though it had been two years since that had happened.

"She didn't give me a chance cosplayer, used and abused me until I was out of time and you saw, I barely made the train. We had FUN, really good hard fun and that's it, she was smiling when I left her. Just like any woman I sleep with." He shrugged again and settled again, glancing at Laxus who was finally moving, shaking his head.

"Shit Bix….I knew you had a deathwish." The man sighed but the topic was dropped when Lucy pulled out a bag from her tote from Carsons candy shop in Magnolia.

It was bittersweet, she passed out some of Cobras lollipops and he only growled at her once about it. Everyone took one, looking at the label sadly.

"I hope they rebuild it, best hard candies anywhere." Wendy said sadly.

"I'm sure they will Wendy, the owner is the fourth generation of his family to be a candy maker and run that shop. As soon as reconstruction can begin again I don't doubt he'll be back to Magnolia." Lily said confidently, happily sucking on a kiwi flavored lollipop. Carsons made so many wonderful flavors.

They had all settled when a man from a few isles down, arms both heavily bandaged, one hand clearly missing stood and came to the group of mages.

He looked at Wendy, turning unhappy eyes on Cristoff, he'd seen the man kissing the woman, knew they were at least lovers.

"Beautiful young woman like that shouldn't be going this way, should have stayed in Shirotsume." He said firmly.

He looked to be in his late 20s maybe early 30s. Had haunted dark eyes that moved over Lucy and Levy too.

"Nobody should be going this way, but she and I are healers, which way would you have us go? The closer we are to the fighting, the more lives are saved." Cristoff responded gently.

The mans eyes widened slightly. "You…you're a…wizard healer? I didn't think there were any…."He breathed.

"The woman saved my life…I took a bad beating from a berserker, regular docs barely got enough bandages on me to hold me together for the ride to Shirotsume, that woman though, when she was done I could walk again…wasn't choking on my own blood anymore." The young man sitting in the next row of seats said, nodding toward Wendy with a grateful smile.

Wendy blushed faintly but looked at the man standing over them, her eyes skimmed the bandages, he'd lost his left hand, but she could take away the need for the other bandaging.

"I can help you…if you're willing, get most of these bandages off, you wont need to put them back on." She offered.

He blinked at her in surprise. "I…couldn't ask…" He stammered and Wendy stood smiling "You don't have to." She replied.

The next couple of hours saw Wendy moving around the train car, Cristoff coming up behind her shortly after she started, taking the opportunity to work on her area healing spell "Rejuvenating Breeze."

The train car took on the scent of a fresh spring morning and faces that had been tight with worry and pain, relaxed until they reached the Village of Dexti where the hub for the military trains now existed. The injured soldiers being sent to Rosegarden started leaving the train before it continued along the mountain range edge south toward Crocus. "You…you are going to Crocus?" The man who had first spoken to them asked. Wendy nodded, leaning back against Cristoff who stood behind her in the isle way of the car.

"But…you aren't heading toward the front down that way?" He asked. Wendy nodded "We are." She replied confidently.

The man looked up at Cristoff "Your wife?" He asked. Cristoffs arm came around Wendy possessively he nodded "soon she will be." He replied and Wendy looked up at him with a soft inhalation of breath and wide eyes.

"Protect her, never leave her alone." The man said firmly.

Cristoff nodded "I plan on it." He replied and the man frowned again but nodded and smiled at Wendy, thanking her again before leaving the train.

Not very many people boarded. Some cars were removed, a couple of cargo cars put in their place and Wendy and Cristoff took their seats across from Laxus and Bickslow who were both napping.

Lucy pulled a vial out of her tote offering it to Levy who made a face but took it. At Wendys curious look she pulled another out and pulled Wendy up and walked a few rows down with her handing it to her.

"Don't know if you got one, Emma had just finished them as we were about to leave. Birth control potion, good for two months." Lucy told her and smirked "and I know you and Cristoff stay plenty busy in the bedroom."

Wendy blushed "We do, but I don't need it, thank you. Cristoff already taught me how to use healing magic to handle that." She said. Lucys eyes widened and she beckoned Levy who rose in confusion and came over to sit down by Lucy and Wendy.

"Ok…so Wendy doesn't use birth control potions because she can magically manage herself now!" Lucy said. Levy gaped "Seriously?!"

Wendy nodded a little sheepishly. "I'd offer to help you guys but I sort of just monitor my body and when I ovulate, I just cast a simple absorption spell on the egg so my body just quickly breaks it down instead of letting it cause a cycle, I mean, I still have my cycles and all, but…no risk of getting pregnant. Cristoff taught me how to do it. He's got all sorts of experience in reproductive healing because the Boscan army drafts mages a lot and if they're good they do vasectomies on the men and tube ties on the women to assure they wont be side tracked from their service by having children during their tours of duty. Cristoff has had to reverse a lot of those procedures for his guildmates when he was in White Sea so he got really good at handling reproductive systems." Wendy told them, smiling with a little pride.

"It's how he could heal the woman brutalized by the Berserkers by Lakeshore, she wrote to him you know, she and her husband were expecting….I hope they're ok." She said.

Lucy stilled, looking up the isle and catching Cobras eye, he was frozen, staring at her in disbelief and she saw him stand and grab Cristoffs arm, the Lunar slayer frowned but stood and followed Cobra past where the women had sat down. "Excuse me… I'm sorry Wendy but Cobra and I need to talk to Cristoff…privately please…" Lucy said, suddenly looking excited, she hugged Wendy who stared at her in confusion before going with Levy back to where they had been sitting.

Cristoff sat in the seat at the far end of the car, Cobra sitting across from him with a wide eye and a stunned look on his face.

Lucy sat beside the man a moment later and the couple stared at him for a moment before Cobra finally drew a breath, leveling a hard look on the Lunar Slayer.

"Can you reverse a vasectomy?" He asked bluntly. Cristoff blinked, frowning, the question was coming out of the blue for him but he nodded "Yeah, easily, I've done dozens upon dozens of reversals for mages after they came out of military service. A lot of mages don't handle surgery well, anesthesia and the like, I imagine you know that pretty well."

Cobra sat back, looking stunned. Lucy was grinning. "When we're someplace you can do it, can you…reverse the one done to Cobra?" She asked.

Cristoffs eyes widened for a moment then he pushed his hand through his hair "Yeah…shit, when we get into Crocus, we're staying the night there before we head for the mission area, I can do it there, takes maybe ten or 20 minutes…" He smirked then "and you'll need to help with immediate after care for him Lucy." He sobered a bit, meeting Cobras still dazed and disbelieving gaze "I can do it man. I've done tons of them, even butcher jobs done at military encampments, loads of scar tissue and crap, I've done them. It will be…awkward for you maybe, I mean, I know I sure won't enjoy pushing your damn junk around, but yeah, I can do it, Lucy will have to go on birth control like…now would be good if you have something, Cobra will be…uh…potent, for a few weeks. The magic sort of…stimulates sperm production." Cristoff didn't blush or stumble much as he spoke, the subject was awkward with his guildmates, but it was far from the first time he'd had similar discussions with friends.

He explained what he would do, and what Cobra could expect during and after the whole thing. Cobra blew out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding in, shaking his head…

"I thought…I told Lucy and we had sort of come to terms with it…" He breathed.

Lucy hugged him and Cobra blinked over her shoulder at Cristoff who smiled "Yeah, well, no reason to live with it, I'll fix it then you can worry and keep track of shit like the rest of us do. If not, well, I've delivered my share of babies and Wendy could use the practice anyway." He nodded at Cobra, and, as if the whole thing were no big deal, he stood and went back to sit with Wendy.

Cobras arms closed around Lucy, he could smell tears, and tightened his arms around her, closing his eye and breathing in her sweet strawberry scent, nuzzling against her, for the first time in his life he was completely unable to process something.

He had accepted he'd never be a father, had even sort of come to terms with the fact that he had doomed Lucy to never being able to have a child of her own because she had become his mate.

Now…to learn a wizard healer could reverse what had been done to him… and in the middle of a damned invasion while they were heading to fight for their freedom, for the freedom of their country…just his fucking luck.

He'd take it though, he'd have it done because he and Lucy needed that hope, needed to know they could have a full future…that when they have assured Fiores freedom, and rebuilt their home in Magnolia, they could have babies…he could be a father and Lucy a mother…

He had more to fight for now than ever before, and he adjusted Lucy on his lap suddenly, pulling back and grabbing her, kissing her fiercely before looking up, the sign for the bathroom on the car they were in was there…

"So…why don't we celebrate and honor our little tradition with trains?" He offered. Lucy smirked "Oh baby…I was thinking the same thing…" She purred and he pulled her from the seat into the cramped little bathroom, it was fine there was no space, she was seated on the sink and it wasn't like they needed a lot of room….


	27. Chapter 27 Reversals and Boscan Marriage

A/N Many thanks to those who let me know about the error in the last chapter, it's been fixed. Things happening in real life intruding on my writing process is all I can say about that. I had planned to dive right into the darkness ahead in this story but the characters had other ideas and so I'm giving you a little more of a break. I hope you enjoy it...DESNA

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Wendy pushed into Cristoffs side as soon as he sat back down, questions in her eyes. He smiled, leaning down to trail a soft kiss from her lips back to her ear. "Nothing to worry about, I'm going to help Cobra with something when we get settled at Crocus." He told her.

She nodded, shifting to look more fully at him and he frowned slightly, their noses touching she was so close searching his dark eyes.

"Did you mean what you said before?" She asked in a whisper. He tilted his head, making their lips touch again "Which thing? I'm sorry love, the conversation with Cobra and Lucy has me distracted, remind me." He prodded.

"about me being your wife soon…." She loved when he hovered close like this, when they softly brushed against each other faces, necks, nuzzled and cuddled, her dragon always just thrummed with pleasure and contentment, it was deeply soothing to both of them.

"I meant it. I want to marry you, make you mine every way I can. Will you?" He asked, smiling faintly. "This wasn't how I meant to ask, prompted by a worried soldier on a train in the middle of an invasion, but waiting on anything this important seems…foolish, given what we're headed for." He told her.

Wendy smiled, kissing his lips, his cheek "I will…I…I want to get married…" her voice cracked, she couldn't help it, it was something she had wanted but had been afraid to ask for. She knew Boscans revered marriage, but wasn't sure if being mated overstepped that for Cristoff and after all he had done, all he kept doing for her, she didn't want to ask for more.

"Mmm, so now, you are my mate and my fiancé." He smirked, pushing his hand into her soft blue hair, nuzzling into her again because he knew how much she liked it. He liked it too. Comfort right now, anything that soothed and allowed a moment of peace was at a painful premium. He felt the strain, it was unnerving being in the middle of this all, even after watching it coming for almost 2 years now.

She was his life, he would do all there was in his power to help her through this, protect her, support her, knowing always they were mated, if he died, she would soon follow him and vice versa. No soul could survive the loss, even great immensely powerful dragons died soon after their mates, it was testament of the depth of the bond.

He couldn't remember what it had felt like before he was hers anymore. Her presence, the feel of her, was too much a part of him now, like he hadn't lived until they were mated, had been an incomplete partial person up until that point.

They stayed that way until Wendy started to drift off to sleep and Cristoff sat back to pull her against him and hold her so she could rest.

He saw Lucy and Cobra emerge from the bathroom grinning at each other and smiled, he didn't need to know why Cobra had been sterilized, he would reverse it, and leaned his head back, closing his eyes, hopefully Lucy didn't instantly become pregnant, a lot of the wives and girlfriends or even one night stands of men he'd reversed before had and the way those two went at each other…well, who was he to judge? He couldn't keep his hands off his mate any better than Cobra could.

They had the sense not to sit in the midst of the other slayers, not that everyone didn't know exactly what they had been doing, the train was noisy but not noisy enough…Lucy was vocal.

He smirked, Wendy was just as bad, his beautiful mate was the most responsive woman he'd ever been with, the most eager too, he was sure part of that was that she was a Dragon Slayer, the rest though was just Wendys passionate nature and the raw attraction they had for each other that had been there from the moment they had first laid eyes on each other.

The train didn't announce stops, but there was no mistaking their arrival into Crocus, night had taken over and suddenly they went from traveling through dark countryside to the lights of the nations capital.

He stirred Wendy who yawned and turned sleepy eyes to the window. Though it was late the streets were still busy, Crocus never slept even during normal times.

"I hope we can get rooms…" Wendy said observing how crowded the streets looked.

"We're staying at the Boscan Embassy as guests of Dad." Bickslow said with a smile. Wendy drew a breath…she was going to meet Cristoffs father… an excited thrill ran through her as the train slowed and stopped. They all filtered off, noticing the masses of troops preparing to board. The trains next stop would be near the front.

It was terribly crowded, refugees trying to flee the fighting choked the city but they made their way through, noting that businesses were still open here. Life wasn't normal at all, but it was more so than in other places they had passed.

The guards at the embassy gates looked them over, confirmed their ID with quick checks of their hand held guest lists and they were soon no longer being jostled in the crowded streets fighting off pick pockets and depression.

They were led into the largest building where the Ambassador greeted them, coming first to his sons who he pulled into a rough hug before he turned to Wendy.

"This is Wendy father…" Cristoff said with a smile and watched his father scoop the surprised young woman into a hug before placing her back on her feet and kissing her hands, placing them on his heart "Too beautiful for my brute of a son, welcome to the embassy, all of you, we will let you all settle in, enjoy the baths and relax tonight, I will brief you all in the morning before you head out on the morning train." He said, not releasing one of Wendys hands he kept her at his side as everyone else was greeted by attendants that guided them to their quarters.

Bickslow, Laxus and Cristoff held back as well, following Arman and Wendy upstairs to Armans chambers, the sitting room had a meal already prepared and set out on the small round table and Arman held a chair for her before sitting to her right. Cristoff took the seat to her left and Bickslow and Laxus sat across from them, Bickslow helping himself to the steaming Boscan dishes eagerly.

"I regret we meet under these circumstances during such a terrible time Wendy, I've already told my sons, when Bosco and Fiore finally repel the Sevenese invaders, and I am confident we will, I will help with the rebuilding of your homes in Magnolia, of the Guild Hall for Fairy Tail as well. Cristoff?" He looked at his younger son expectantly and Cristoff bowed his head "Yes sir?"

"Have you asked her yet?" He asked, his tone a little stern. Cristoff smiled "Yes Father, I have, not quite how I wanted to but yes and she said yes."

Arman took her hand again and squeezed it, standing and going to his desk, while he searched for something Bickslow and Cristoff showed her how to eat the Boscan foods before them, It involved using breads and wafers to gather up various things and the main dishes were shared so she had no plate before her, it had confused her.

Laxus seemed completely comfortable with the foods though, eating with the same practiced elegance Bickslow and Cristoff did. "I spent time with Bickslows family while I was banished remember?" He reminded her and Wendy smiled, nodding.

When Arman came back Cristoff stood and pulled her chair around so he could kneel in front of her under his fathers firm gaze.

"Wendy Marvell, I ask to take you to wife through Boscan ceremony, to keep you at my side, a partner for all our lives, share my bed, bare my children, I shall honor you, protect you, keep myself only for you forever. Do you accept?" It was spoken like a challenge almost, true Boscan, they did not coddle their women, they worshipped them, challenged them.

"I accept." Wendy smiled and Cristoff took the ring from his father, it was stunning, a white diamond and a dark blue sapphire. He slid it onto her finger and she felt tears stinging her eyes as she looked at it.

Laxus stood then, glancing at Arman who nodded he smiled at Wendy "Ok, just learned this recently so bear with me." He winked at Wendy and drew a breath. "As co-master to Fairy Tail, your guardian Wendy and as your eldest Dragon Kin, I accept the Pradesh family and honor it with allowing them to take our precious daughter and my beloved sister as a wife to their son. Fairy Tail stands with you both for all your lives and the lives of your children to come."

Wendy stared in amazement and Laxus grinned, stepping back, Arman coming to her.

"Maltien Ken Lei" Arman said. "Our Family is yours, I give you my son with my blessing Wendy Marvell, and promise as your father I shall be here for you for council or comfort, safety or support for as long as I live and vow the Pradesh family will stand by you both and all of your children that (I hope) will come." He winked at her then and bowed over her hand that had the ring on it.

Bickslow came to her then, taking that same hand and placing it on his heart. "I give you my brother with my blessing Wendy Marvell and promise as your brother to be there should you need my council or comfort, safety or support for as long as I live I will stand by you both and all of your children that will come." He bowed over her hand then and smirked, leaning forward to kiss her forehead "Welcome to the family cupcake."

"I'll file the paperwork with the Boscan capital, I know you can't pick a date for a wedding yet, we'll get there, but this is legal my dear, once the capital registers it, you are a Pradesh, Cristoffs wife by Boscan law since I am a Patriarch and Bickslow is an older brother, in our culture it takes two older family members to seal a marriage. Do you agree to this? It would be best if you had a parent here, but we do have Laxus here representing your guild." Arman said, turning to her seeking approval.

Wendy nodded eagerly, unable to speak.

Arman smiled "Then welcome my dear, to our family."

They finished eating and Arman shooed them into a large suite "I know you had to already quite a bit for those marks to be as black as they are but…well…tradition is as it is. The attendants will be ready when you are ready for the ritual." He smiled and left to go rejoin Bickslow and Laxus

"Ritual?" Wendy asked. Cristoff pressed his lips together taking her hand and leading her toward the door.

"I'll explain it after we get back, hopefully anyway…if there's time, Dad was just…rushing. He's just anxious to get back to the private attendants, I'm sure he, Laxus and Bickslow will be having "massages" tonight." Cristoff chuckled.

Wendy eyed him "and how many have you had here?"

His smile faltered but only for a moment before he smirked "More than I'd care to admit to you. Now come on, we need to find Lucy and Cobras chambers so I can handle the issue he's got." She gave him a questioning look but followed him as he led her from the chamber.

They caught an attendant who led them to Cobra and Lucys quarters before bowing and leaving them at the door while Cristoff knocked.

Lucy opened the door smiling "Ok, authentic Boscan food prepared by actual Boscan chefs is on my list of favorites now." She declared. Wendy grinned "Mine too!"

Lucy pulled them inside and Cobra was standing a short distance inside looking nervous, it was a very foreign look for the usually arrogant and venomous man. Cristoff nodded to him and Cobra followed him into the bedroom making Wendy frown when the door was closed.

"Cristoff is reversing the vasectomy Brain forced on Cobra when he was young…when you said he could do that Wendy…" Lucy bit her lip, she'd already been crying intermittently since Cristoff had assured them he could do it.

Even Erik had, once they'd gotten to their quarters and the attendant had left after showing them their meal was set out for them in their sitting area, the proud Poison Slayer had sat on the couch heavily and tears had run down his face as Lucy had gone to her knees in front of him, wrapped her arms around his waist and buried her face in his shirt and they had both cried.

"We had accepted it, no children. We talked about adopting after all of this is over, and we still might, there will be a lot of children likely needing homes and families. But now….now we can have our own too. You wouldn't know it but Erik loves children." The blonde said, feeling tears threatening again.

Wendy hugged her "I know he does, he's always been good to me." She said, though by the time Cobra had come to Fairy Tail Wendy had been into her teens he had always been patient, kind with her even as he tore others apart he never let loose on her even when she had deserved it.

Wendy smiled then "So, have you started birth control then? You're really going to need it, I've seen how you two are." She looked wickedly at Lucy who laughed.

"Oh my God Wendy! As if you and Cristoff are any better! I still think it's unfair you can just magically handle yours, no bitter nasty potions, but yes, God, as soon as we were…ah…done in the bathroom I took that one I had picked up for you. I don't resent it either, I'm happy to need to think about it now!" Lucy laughed

The blonde was rummaging through the little refrigerator in the room and pulled out a pitcher "Grab some glasses from the sideboard there, have you tried their iced tea? Gods I'm addicted to it already and just had my first glass when we got here."

Cobra stared at Cristoff as the taller man stood and went to the bathroom "All done, so I'll send Lucy in here, I'm sure you'll be just terribly upset to hear you two need to have a few rounds of sex, you need to ejaculate a few times and I'll come over first thing in the morning and check on things, make sure everything connected well enough and held right, be…ah…rough at least once, I've never had a reversal not take the first time I did it but you had a lot of scar tissue, assholes who did yours were fucking butchers but I'm sure you knew that." Cristoff called to him as he washed his hands.

When the Lunar Slayer came back into the room Cobra had already stood and set his clothes right and was looking dazed.

"I…barely felt anything…are you sure?" He looked at Cristoff who smirked "Uh..you felt it Cobra, I was shoving your junk around pushing magic through your groin, you felt it…but yes, I'm sure, I told you I've done a lot of these, yours wasn't even the worst I've seen…" The black haired mage turned and tossed the towel he was drying his hands into a hamper by the bathroom door.

"I'll send Lucy in, remember, a few rounds, at least one of them kind of rough and I'll see you in the morning at 6:30, you're clear to work out in the morning too once I've checked you over, if you want to join the rest of us, the embassy has a pretty nice gym." When Cobra just stood there Cristoff walked over to him and put a hand on the other mans shoulder.

"It's fine Cobra, I promise I've done a lot of these, I really do know what I'm doing, you're going to be a father when you and Lucy are ready, before you are if you don't choose to believe me." Cristoff smirked, gave the Poison Slayer a small shove that drew a growl out of him and headed to the door, he opened it and smiled looking out into the sitting area finding Lucy fawning over Wendys ring.

The two women looked up and Cristoff grinned "Allright Lucy, your turn, I need you two to have sex a few times tonight, I told Cobra at least one round a little rough to put the reversal to the test. I'll be back at 6:30 in the morning to check on him and make sure everything held up like it should. I recommend some soaking in the sea bath before you call it a night too. Just summon an attendant to take you to it, good 30 minute soak, got it?" He asked.

Lucy stood, smiling "So…you're prescribing sex?" She asked, humor in the dark brown eyes.

Cristoff held a hand out to Wendy, pulling her with him to the front door and smiled at Lucy "Yes I am, so get your ass in there and fuck your mate." Chuckled, Wendy even laughed as they left the couple, closing the door behind them and heading back to their own rooms.

"So, we have a ritual to go through…" Cristoff started.

Cobra was still standing where Cristoff had left him, by the wing chair he'd sat in while Cristoff did the procedure, it had been more than a little awkward having another Dragon Slayer poking around his groin, pushing his stuff around, and though he'd said he barely felt anything, he'd felt discomfort, felt Cristoffs magic pushing into a seriously sensitive area, he was glad he'd not reacted, getting handled that much even by a healer might have created an embarrassing reaction but his shock, dazed state, had probably prevented that.

Cristoff had been precise too, and Cobra had dug into the man just looking for any reaction that he could take wrong because nobody messed with his body except Lucy, but Cristoffs only thoughts through the whole thing were about the damage he found, scar tissue, a few thoughts about butcher doctors needing to undergo their own level of work.

The Lunar Slayer, through it all, had felt completely confident he'd done it though and Cobra had followed every moment as Cristoff had run through the steps, various things he'd needed to do, so many Cobra had struggled to keep up and was again impressed by the intricate complexity of healing magic.

Lucys hands sliding up his body, pulling his shirt up made him smile slightly as her presence, her desire suddenly reached him. He lifted his arms, letting her pull his shirt off, smiling at her as she stepped up to undo his pants.

She was already naked and his eyes moved slowly over her, his hand coming up to push a heavy lock of golden hair back behind her ear as she yanked his pants down and lifted her face to smirk at him.

"So, doctors orders big guy, I'm supposed to fuck you a few times." She wiggled her eye brows at him and he grinned "At least one rough round, how bout we just start off that way." He replied, grabbing her so fast she shrieked.

Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxxo

When they got to their chambers there were attendants and a tall man in gilded robes outside their door waiting for them who bowed, smiling at them.

"Lord Pradesh has had everything prepared for you young Master, congratulations on your union. We are here to perform the sealing, I am Bretha, Priest of Immaculate Light, Knighted of the Holy Order, show me your seal." He looked at Cristoff expectantly and Cristoff opened his shirt, pushing the fabric aside so the Tattoo over his heart showed. Bretha stepped forward "Follow me please." He said, Cristoff took Wendys hand again smiling reassuringly at her confused questioning look.

They walked from the mansion across the courtyard to what was clearly a religious building, the cross symbol over Cristoffs heart was everywhere here.

"This is the Holy Orders temple here at the embassy. We're going to be sealed in Immaculate light Wendy…I'm sorry this is happening all at once but…really…"He explained softly as they followed Bretha into the building.

Wendy drew a breath, really there wasn't time for less than this. She was delighted to be marrying her mate, enthralled and enchanted by his cultures approach to it and knowing where they would start heading tomarrow, she wanted this, so much she didn't care what they had to do to make it all official.

She smiled at him "Will it hurt much?" She asked, making it clear with her tone she didn't really care if it did.

Cristoff smiled "No, discomfort maybe, and you may feel a little awkward, get a little embarrassed at some of the things we'll do, but…this is how knights become married in my country, because I'm knighted…we have to do this."

Wendy grinned "You didn't warn me about any of this, you could have you know, whisked through a ceremony I didn't even know was a ceremony, now this?" She was smiling too much, and her tone held nothing but excited anticipation, she couldn't even pretend this wasn't thrilling, exciting, making her so happy she was about to burst, but then she'd always been one to have a great deal more enthusiasm for things than she probably should.

She was a romantic, it was a big part of who she was, she loved love, and this? It was romantic, and she was enjoying it. But if she could get Cristoff feeling a little guilty about springing it all on her without warning? Well, he was very very good at making things up to her, and she loved how he went about it far too much to pass up a chance at getting him to do so.

"I could have, but you like surprises and I wasn't even sure father could pull this off for us so I…well…I really didn't know what to expect when we got here." He admitted.

It was true, he wasn't even sure his father could get the ring for him, let alone arrange the rest, there was an invasion happening, the country was at war. Getting a priest of the order here, no small feat but required for Cristoff, because he was a knight, before a marriage could be official in Bosco.

Part of what they would do tonight would be for the Order, the rest would be the standard post ceremony ritual every Boscan couple went through. That his father had managed to arrange it all under the circumstances, and get the order to agree, that because he was a Lunar Dragon Slayer the ceremony could be performed at night using the moonlight instead of the sunlight, was testament of his fathers skills at negotiations.

This one night was the only one they would get, it had to all happen in one night.

Bretha opened a door for them and they walked into a round room. Circular benches formed rings at each step down to a decent sized circular area and a small knee high alter covered in white and silver sheets of silk.

Above it hung an intricately carved lacrima larger than a man in the shape of the orders cross.

The attendants came and Cristoff smiled at Wendy, holding her gaze, watching her get wide eyed as the attendants started pulling their clothes off of them.

Bretha was talking, citing rites for the ritual in Boscan. Once they were both stripped down Wendy was grateful a thin slik robe of silver was slid up her arms and belted around her, a more intricate one in white and silver with the orders seal on the breast was put onto Cristoff.

Wendy couldn't understand hardly a word the priest was saying so just kept her eyes on Cristoff through the rites and when prompted, said "I promise" after hearing Cristoff say it.

Then they stepped up onto the low altar and Cristoff smiled at her "This may be…uncomfortable, it won't technically hurt, but some people feel discomfort, we'll be enclosed by that Lacrima up there and bathed by Immaculate Light, it's ultimate purity. Put these on to protect your eyes." He ordered, handing her a visor similar to the one Bickslow always wore but without the slits in the metal.

She slid it on and he took her hands and pulled her against him. "Close your eyes." He told her as the lacrima slid down to enclose itself around them.

The light was a shock at first when it washed over her but as soon as she felt it there was no discomfort like Cristoff had warned, instead it felt…warm, amazing, as good as the wind to her and she opened up to it like a flower to the sun, feeling herself smiling, almost laughing in delight as it was everywhere, flooding over her like a warm summers breeze.

She loved it, reveled in it and felt, deeply through her being, felt Cristoff in it. She didn't know why but she just accepted it, offered herself completely to it, laid herself open and bare and took it into her with the same all-encompassing certainty she had felt when she had mated with Cristoff, the first time she had laced their magic together, to her it was like bathing in the essence of his magic and she reveled in every moment, disappointed when it ended.

When the Lacrima lifted Cristoff pulled the visor from his eyes and then hers, looking at her in surprise. She smiled, couldn't stop really, the whole thing had been a pure delight to her, except the whole stripped naked by strangers part, but he'd warned her.

"Your lady is of the same light as you Master." Bretha smiled "Lets return to your chambers so you may complete the marriage ceremony."

They were escorted back to their chambers in the mansion, still in the robes and Wendy wondered where her jeans and sweater might have ended up but decided it really wasn't worth worrying about right now.

They were taken to their chambers and Bretha left them, three attendants though for Wendy, three for Cristoff escorted them to their bedroom and Wendy was wide eyed as the attendants brought out basins, stood Wendy facing Cristoff and pulled their robes from them.

Cristoffs smile was wicked as he watched her blush.

"It's allright love, don't cover yourself, let them wash you, it's water from the Grass Sea of Bosco. Part of everything." He reassured her and she frowned then, watching the female attendants taking cloths from the basin and running them over Cristoffs body.

Cristoff smiled, watching his mate go from a blushing embarrassed shy Wendy to the Dragoness he had mated with as soon as the attendants started smoothing cloths soaked in sea water over his skin.

Her low growl made him rumble a response and the attendants hurried through their task, they had been warned about the couple being Dragon Slayers, and carefully avoided eye contact with Wendy as they worked.

Once done Cristoff was prompted to raise his right arm so an attendant carrying a scroll could trace a finger over the intricate clan tattoo running from his shoulder over his right pectoral, down over his abs and hip to end mid way down his right thigh.

"Easy love, she has to transcribe my clan symbols for the record, verify they are real and that I am authentically clanborn." He soothed when Wendy growled more loudly than before. She really didn't like all of these women touching him, looking at her mate when he didn't have any clothes on at all.

"Why are they all women?!" She growled.

"Because I would honestly have killed a man that touched you, especially after feeling you in the temple…" Cristoffs eyes had faded and Wendy realized they weren't dark blue like normal, they weren't fully silver as she'd seen them go, more a barely blue gray at the moment.

Seeing his dragon side showing more made her own snap to attention even more and she curled a lip at his, narrowing her eyes "but I am expected to tolerate women touching you?" she snarled.

His eyes narrowed lightening more toward silver "Yes, after bringing Cana to our bed I assumed you could." He replied with equal challenge in his tone. The woman transcribing bowed and left in a hurry but two women remained, stepping back but not leaving and Wendy glared at them.

"Leave." She growled. The women bowed their heads but did not move, one met Wendys gaze and smiled "We are to assure your husband will perform my lady, if he does not it will be recorded this marriage can not be." She told her and Wendy frowned, looking at Cristoff who drew a breath.

"Boscan society defends its women Wendy, marriages of convenience, where the man has no intentions of satisfying his duties as a husband are strictly forbidden. If a man can not perform, he can not marry no matter who he is or what his station may be, it is law. In Bosco you will never see some dirty old man marrying a young woman, trophy wives do not happen." He said and nodded toward the women

"They are here to make certain I will not disgrace my family by not being all you expect. One of the reasons everything with Cana didn't trouble me much was because I knew then you could probably handle this and we could be married by Boscan ritual if we couldn't by Fioran. Since a Fioran wedding is likely a ways off for us…this one last thing will seal our marriage with Bosco and make it legal."

He stepped to her then and tilted her chin up "They will not do anything more than make sure I really do as is expected to consummate our vows." He whispered, and suddenly she didn't care, silver eyes were on hers and her dragon didn't give a damn about the little women who meant nothing anymore.

Their mate was challenging them, his low rumble stirring her and she answered it, grabbing his hair and wrenching him down to kiss her before shoving him toward the bed, he caught her though, lifted her off her feet and threw her down on the bed in one swift movement though he couldn't stop her from dragging him with her.

He may have towered over her, outweigh her by at least 100lbs but she was still a Dragoness, and plenty strong enough to handle her powerful mate.

The women were forgotten, her dragon bent on accepting the challenge of their mate and making him give them the pleasure his eyes promised.

Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

Laxus groaned, he'd experienced Boscan massages before, he'd had them just about daily while he'd stayed with Bickslows father at their family estate outside the capital of Bosco.

Once the estates staff knew about him, the tall muscular blonde friend of the family they worked for, the women trained in them had all but fought over who got to give them to him. Blondes were uncommon on Bosco, most of the natives of the land had dark hair so pale colors were unusual, and Boscan women liked being curious, and were never shy about asking Laxus if they could satisfy their curiosity about him.

Even his tribal tattoo had thrilled them, it had been inspired by the one that graced Bickslows body but Laxus had the artist that did it blend Boscan Clan with old Fioran Tribal art to create it.

He had always admired Bickslows proud culture, but he was native Fioran himself, and proud of it as well, so embracing the two had been something he'd wanted to do.

The sweeping lines had been primal yet elegant and he'd always liked them, they suited him.

The masseuse was digging deep into his muscle, and smiling at him, running her tongue over her lower lip, he could smell she was more than happy to give him more. Bickslow sure was enjoying his, he could hear the woman gasping as the Seith retuned her touches, the woman climbing onto the table with him to straddle him.

Laxus missed Emma…hadn't felt her touch in weeks, she'd had no time for him when she arrived, the needs for medicines, for potions was great and his little potion master was nothing if not dedicated to helping others even when it cost her time with him. One night, it was all they'd had in more than a year.

His duties, the demands of trying to prevent this invasion, he had to believe their efforts had decreased the impact of it, given them a chance to beat the Sevenese back.

The memories of their one night had been enough, had carried him through but right now, Gods he wanted her, wished she was there, knew the Boscan attendants could create an incredible experience for a couple, he'd been graced a few times by their efforts while he was in Bosco.

He'd taken her to the little Minstrellan bistro close to Cristoff and Wendys house before it had been Wendys too he realized, feeling a pang in his chest at how much time had passed.

He enjoyed teasing her about her still improving mastery of her lighting magic, and she was brilliant, with her sexy little Boscan accent and sharp wit, she'd never once been intimidated by him, liked calling him an "Overgrown bug zapper" when he pushed her too hard.

She was soft spoken, but had to be one of the hardest workers he'd ever met, singularly dedicated to the work laid out before her. When his grandfather had told her he wanted her to make the potion shop lucrative, she'd attacked the task and exceeded everyone's expectations.

She had made Porlyusica like her, and the woman didn't like anyone. Most of all though, she was tender, soft, affectionate, and his surly standoffish ways didn't deter her in that.

She would bat his hand aside and step right up to him, pull his arms around her, walk up to him while he sat at his desk and pull his face up, ignoring his glare at the interruption and kiss him breathless then smile "You needed a break from being an ass." She'd say, then turn and leave his office to go back to her work.

She could cook, and he had come home more than once to hot meals and a note "You haven't eaten and I know it, eat you idiot." Or better, a hot meal and her still there smiling. She fed the Raijinshuu, he'd come home twice to find his team gratefully devouring his girlfriends cooking, laughing with her.

She waited endlessly for him too. No matter how busy he was, how many weeks, even months went by without him having barely a minute for her, she always smiled, always slid right into his arms and kissed him and he would just about fall to his knees in front of her.

He had gone to his knees once, when he'd proposed to her, in his grandfathers office before leaving for Shirotsume he'd begged her to marry him, promised again to make her his mate, seeing the first mark fade had been a huge blow to him, his inner dragon was beside itself at failing to claim the woman it wanted.

Putting his grandmothers ring on her finger had been something he knew wouldn't fade before her eyes as if his intentions were fading.

They had come back from dinner and she had pulled his hand, led him to his room and simply started pulling his clothes off of him. "You've no time to play games or romance me my dragon, you can give me romance another night." She'd said and he'd been stunned.

Laxus had had plenty of women offer themselves to him before, he'd come home a few times to women naked on his bed. But this was a woman he wanted, not for a fuck but for a lifetime.

So having her start pulling his clothes off, then strip her own away before him had just about shorted out his brain but he'd thankfully not been still for long, his body, his dragon, certainly were reacting to her.

"I'm sorry…" He'd started and she'd silenced him, smiling that serene smile of hers "No, this night is not a sorry night, It is me taking my dragon so we can be together before you go again, I need to feel you Laxus…all jokes and fun aside…I am done waiting."

He'd smiled narrowing his eyes "Demanding thing aren't you?" He'd been unable to just give in, it wasn't really like him to make anything easy.

"What if I wanted more time, what if I'm shy?" He'd teased and she'd laughed, pulling him to the bed "You haven't a shy molecule in your body, now stop teasing me…unless you think you just can't, I mean, I could look at some of the potions…I have formulas for old men with those problems…" She had said and he'd growled, instantly rising to that insinuation, his dragon about clawing through his chest to get at her and show her how wrong she was.

He'd grabbed her then, tossed her on the bed and followed her, hovering over her and attacking her neck, her chest, teeth gliding over the soft peaks of her breasts and she was laughing, then moaning until he stilled and met her amethyst eyes "never question a dragons libido…" He'd growled and then attacked her again, making her shriek and laugh and then reducing her back into the moans and writhing he wanted.

He showed her with his body how strong his convictions were, how much he wanted her, and she was responsive, fantastically so, for a quiet scholar, accomplished alchemist and potion master, she was wild in bed. He'd sank his fangs into her the second time he brought her to her ends, made her say she was his over and over through the night.

Laying there with a beautiful Boscan woman rubbing her hands into his sore muscles, naked and missing Emma, he wasn't tempted by her in spite of her advances. They just made him miss Emma more. He finally told the woman when she openly grasped his cock while looking into his eyes hungrily.

"I'm promised, engaged, you make me miss her more." The womans smile changed, "Ahh, dear man, you should have said sooner, think of her then, I shan't dishonor your vows."

He did, and when he finally went to his bed he still was thinking about his emerald haired fiancé, his mate-to-be. Hoping soon he'd have the solid month he would need to make her his, vowing he'd take that fucking time as soon as this invasion was ended even if he had to do it in the resort in Shirotsume instead of Magnolia where he'd wanted to.


	28. Chapter 28 Into ERA

Wendy was brought awake by warm hands and lips moving over her skin and purred happily, reaching out to slide her fingers into soft black hair. "I barely just fell asleep." She complained.

Opening her eyes she almost frowned finding Cristoff not in the bed with her and in a tank top and track shorts instead of naked like she was hoping for.

"I need to check on Cobra love, and Father will be knocking on the door at 8 to finish our ceremony and have us sign the papers he needs to submit." He told her.

Wendy frowned again "I thought having to let two strange women watch us have sex was the final thing." She said a little bitterly. He smirked and held his hand up pointing to the naked ring finger and she gasped slightly, she hadn't thought of that! He didn't have ring and he should!

"Father will bring my ring and have you put it on me, he just had to wait until I proved myself, and he has to ask you if you do, finally, accept me as a suitable husband for you. See, Boscan women get to make sure their husbands can make them happy before finally accepting the marriage. You, my love, have the final say." He told her.

Wendy was grinning at him "So, if I wasn't happy with how you performed last night I could call the whole thing off?" She asked.

He narrowed his eyes "Yes, women have been doing so for centuries in Bosco." He admitted.

Wendy sat up, letting the blankets pool at her waist and stretching, watching through her lashes as her mate ran his tongue over his lips watching her, the dark blue eyes paling slightly. It was something she loved about Cristoff, one of so many things, his eyes did not darken when he got turned on, they paled, became lighter fading into the color of the sky near sunrise before turning silver completely, it made it easy for her to tell when she was getting to him.

Normally his eyes held that midnight color, but he'd told her these rituals meant a great deal to him, affected him and stirred strong emotions, deep pride in him seeing her becoming his this way.

She gave him a saucy smile "Ok, I'll go take a bath while you check on Cobra and, I assume, get your morning work out in?" She tilted her head, leaning forward and resting on her arms, well aware it lifted her breasts and brought them forward.

Cristoff smirked, giving her a knowing smile "Tease me like that and I'll be proving myself a little more forcefully." He warned. Wendy stuck her tongue out at him and shrieked when he lunged at her, she'd been braced to move though and dodged him, shooting off the far side of the bed and racing into the bathroom laughing as she slammed the door shut.

Cristoff drew a slow breath, he could rip that door right off its hinges, a good part of him wanted to do just that, stalk into that bathroom and show his sassy little mate what he meant in full when he warned her about teasing him, but he had promised Cobra he'd check on him, and there was too much to get done before they had to leave.

So in spite of what he and his dragon wanted to do, he turned and left Wendy to her bath, hurrying to Cobra and Lucys chambers.

He only had to knock once and Cobra opened the door, fresh from a shower by the looks of him, a towel around his waist.

Lucy was putting their things in order and smiled at him. "Morning Cristoff!" She said brightly.

"Good morning, let get this done so we can call it good." Cristoff said, following Cobra back to the bedroom and frowning.

The bed was…in shambles. The mahogany headboard broken in half, pieces of wood on the floor, the top mattress was off to the side on the floor, the box support broken and resting at an odd angle on the frame.

Cobra smirked "Yeah, already paid for the damages, you did say a rough round…" He said.

Cristoff looked at him "Rough…not property damage, shit man, ok lets have a look and make sure you're not hemorrhaging or something." He snorted.

"I feel fantastic." Cobra said, sitting.

"Yeah I bet you do, the magic stimulates your whole system there, so more testosterone, more sperm, more everything that makes you male for a little while until it balances." Cristoff snorted while he checked his work to make sure Cobra hadn't damaged himself in his obvious enthusiasm.

Rising he went to the bathroom smiling "You're good, it's all fine and if you're feeling good it's all worked perfectly, Lucy seems able to walk ok so my work is done."

Cobra grinned, going to grab his clothes Lucy had left laying on one of the chairs and dressing while Cristoff washed his hands and came back out.

"Joining us I take it?" He'd figured Cobra would, while they weren't planning anything really strenuous because they were facing the beginning of a serious trek through some rough country later in the day, Cobra was probably pumping almost twice the hormones he usually would be and would benefit from an outlet other than Lucy. Lucy would walk better.

Wendy was dressed, certainly not pretty fair, she'd not bothered to pack any dresses, not for where they were headed. Comfortable dark green leggings, calf high brown boots and a soft dark green button down over a light brown tank top gave her options depending on how hot or cold or whatever they encountered when they got off the train later that day.

She had just finished getting her hair brushed out and pulled into a pony tail when there was a knock at the door.

Arman smiled warmly at her when she opened it. "Did Cristoff tell you what we're doing?" He asked her. She smiled "He's to get his ring." She replied.

Arman smiled mischief in his pale green eyes "If you think he's worthy of it." He quipped.

She grinned "I'm still considering."

Arman laughed, turning to go to the table and put down a few documents.

"Your acceptance of the marriage terms, acceptance of Cristoff and finally your marriage license itself." He pointed each one out and smiled when Wendy sat down and started reading through the marriage terms.

Basically, it went over just how much Cristoff was worth in property, titles and her position within the Pradesh family. Wendys eyes widened steadily until she stared at Arman who shrugged

"Standard terms my dear, I understand you've no family of your own so I wrote the Fioran holdings in as yours since the two of you are already mated and the courts accept these faster if both people come in bringing something. I had already put the property in Magnolia in your name anyway so it was simple to just list his share of the house in Akane, which you share with Bickslow, and the townhouse here in Crocus currently being rented by a family from Hargeon that was displaced, the boys agreed to that right after Hargeon was attacked. Cristoff brings all of the properties and titles from Bosco, the house in White Sea, the vineyard he co-owns with Farron in Laycia, The home in Parance in Minstrel and of course, partial ownership of the family estate outside the capitol, all of it you will soon share ownership of. You did know he was a Pradesh when you mated with him…" He was smiling watching her reaction.

By Boscan standards Arman was not terribly wealthy for an Ambassador, but his fame and accomplishments had brought many gifts and a lot of them he had bestowed on his children. Bickslow held some properties, though no longer any in Bosco since he was wanted there, those holdings had been transferred to Kaleb who held them in his name, though as far as the family was concerned they still belonged to Bickslow.

He was delighted by this young woman, that Cristoff was the first of his sons to marry had surprised him, but then, Dragon Slayer magic was like a world unto itself in Earthland, Arman was father to the only two Dragon Slayers in Bosco, Cristoff a first generation, the whole family had known his dragon Nurem, who had been kind enough to make certain her pupil and adopted child had spent time with his human family. Then Emzadi, a second generation Dragon Slayer, whos clan had implanted the stolen lacrima into her to keep it safe before they had been destroyed by a rival clan seeking it.

Arman had found her after she had set fire to the orphanage and he'd adopted her to save her from the orphanages plan to cut out her lacrima and sell it, which would have killed her. Yes the orphanage needed funds, but he'd still seen it shut down since it was willing to use the children in its care to make money.

He knew Dragon Slayers, having been father to two of them. But Cristoff was much like himself, proud to be a Boscan man, his handsome young son had women everywhere he went, was a lusty young man who had kept the women in White Sea panting after him for years, there were stacks of marriage offers on his desk for Cristoff that he soon would be happy to refuse with good reason and let the word out Cristoff was married.

Wendy was a beauty though, with wide lovely brown eyes all the curves to make a man weak and he knew from watching and listening over Fairy Tail as he had since Bickslow had joined the guild she was also one of its jewels, a heart of gold beat within her, that his families heart had fallen for this woman, mated with her and loved her so much, wasn't all that surprising to Arman.

He would tease Cristoff over all the women who had fallen for him forever but he had always known when Cristoff finally fell in love himself it would be with a woman whose heart was as golden as his.

Even war had not made Cristoff as hardened as it had made others, his son had been in several clan wars, fought with the Boscan military and the Knights even involved in the brief but vicious skirmishes in Atla a couple of times, as a powerful healer he was wanted everywhere, needed, and demands on him were always heavy but he never faltered. Now, he had a woman who would know him better than even Arman did, be able to relate to him and support and love him like no other ever could and Arman was thrilled.

That, and he wanted grandbabies, lots of them.

The door opened and Cristoff entered, Bickslow, Laxus, well, the whole team, Gajeel and Levy, Cobra and Lucy all filing into the room smiling.

Cristoff looked a little anxiously at Wendy, who was still holding the marriage terms in her hand.

"She was going over the papers, has not signed yet but we've a small detail to complete anyway.  
Arman pulled a thick white gold band from his pocket, a line of tiny diamonds running all around the center of it, he handed it to Wendy.

"Wendy Marvell, I give you this band, if my son pleases you and you accept him as a suitable husband for you I ask you place it on him in showing your acceptance of him." He said.

Lucy blinked "She gets to decide, have a final say?"

Arman smiled at her "In Boscan culture my dear, women are our treasures, we give them every choice they deserve a man must prove he deserves his wife."

Wendy was looking at Cristoff who could do nothing but wait.

"Kneel Cristoff." Arman snapped, his son blinked and muttered an apology, dropping to his knees and Wendy stepped up to him, pulling his hand to her chest then pushing the ring onto his finger "I accept him as my husband." She said and smiled watching Cristoff let out the breath he was holding before standing and kissing her.

"Now, I need you to sign these, both of you, so I can file this all with the government, then we can go over your mission over breakfast and get you all on your way." Arman said. Levy was scanning the documents, curiosity having gotten the better of her and was wide eyed at the property listings of the Pradesh Family. She'd had no clue Bickslow came from such a background.

She'd known he was Boscan, and that his heritage was part of why he was such a playboy, but crap, the Pradesh Family fame came with a lot more than just appreciation it seemed. Bosco showed its gratitude, so did other countries, for Armans work in more ways than just fancy titles.

Wendy and Cristoff signed the documents, Wendy grinning and hugging her now husband before everyone separated to pack and get downstairs for breakfast.

Arman was waiting for them, and so was the King. The two men nodding to them as they came in.

Once everyone was seated, their meals in front of them, the King had a map brought out. Fronts were shown, along with landing points where the Boscan military would be coming in from the sea and over the border.

The Sevenese didn't know it, but Bosco and Fiore planned to utterly crush them between their two militaries. Levy smiled faintly, looking at Gajeel whos usual frown lifted, hope even showing on his face.

"If plans go off as expected the military forces should meet in two weeks but we need ERA taken, we've pinpointed control over the dragons as coming from ERA and regular military cannot fight Rune Knights. We don't know why the Rune Knights are not with the Sevenese soldiers seeing as how it is clear the council of Fiore aided the invaders." The King said.

"So, you will meet the forces coming in from the Peace River and join them to meet the forces already at ERA and retake it. You have full freedom, if you must kill, I know it's not something Fairy Tail does but…after all we've learned with Hidden Hope, that place has become a nest of evil."

They discussed the forces they would be meeting, Arman telling them White Sea mages were among them though the guild leader himself and his top team were part of the group that was currently coming up behind the forces that had taken Clover Town and levelled Blue Pegasus' guild facilities along with the town.

"They'll be fighting Scissor Runner without Dragon Slayers?" Laxus asked.

Arman smiled "Emzadi is with them and the twin dragons of Sabertooth were to meet up with them before engagement so they will have three dragon slayers and a Wizard saint of Bosco to take on Scissor Runner." He replied.

Gajeel rolled his eyes, it would work if Sting and Rogue had gotten off their asses and trained any since the last time he'd seen them, otherwise, the bulk of the fight would be up to the unknown Dragon Slayer from Bosco, Cristoff and Bickslows sister and their brother Kaleb, who was the wizard saint Arman mentioned.

He looked at Levy, who was taking notes for herself, endlessly the woman organized, nothing left unconsidered with her, with himself and how she acted around him being the occasional exception to that, especially when they were alone.

They finished their briefing and their breakfast and everyone gathered their things, handed them off to Lucy and Virgo who also was stowing a great deal of various gear they might need, supplies, whatever could be thought of the maid took to hold so they could travel light.

The train carried them to its final stop, a makeshift station that had been created for the front which was past ERA. They would go overland through the farmland and patches of woodland until they reached Peace Village, which was still held securely by Fiore thanks in part to Lamia Scale that had moved their guild there after Hargeons fall.

They would be expected by Lamia Scale in two days so they needed to move as quickly as they could manage.

Carrying canteens, snacks and few basic essentials in small packs made that possible, they had Lucys spirit Virgo to thank for not having to carry heavy camping gear and supplies.

They were only a mile from the front as they left the military base and all of its drab tents. It was September, the bite of fall was in the air already and Lucy was glab she'd worn pants instead of shorts as the wind picked up. Laxus frowned up at the gray sky.

They wouldn't reach woodland for a couple of hours, until then it was straight open farmland which meant no protection of any kind from wind and rain. This area supplied food to Crocus and a lot of Fiore, it was sad that the people who usually cared for these farms had been forced to flee, crops were dying in the fields here from neglect.

After a couple hours they came to an orchard and Lucy and Wendy both tugged at the sleeves of their mates, pointing at the trees.

"Fresh peaches." Lucy said. They stopped for a few minutes, gathered up some of the fresh fruit and enjoyed a break from being blasted by chill wind laced with rain before continuing, munching on peaches as they went.

It was more than a little disheartening to think that most of that crop would rot and fall off the branches if they things didn't go how the King planned.

Still, Lucy smiled, taking a bite out of the peach in her hand and wiping juice from her chin with her other hand. Virgo had collected a few baskets of fruit she would give to Lamia Scale when they reached Peace Village.

They stopped a little after mid-day to eat a quick lunch in a small wooded area, Laxus watching the others wistfully. He didn't wish Emma was with them, what they were going up against was beyond her and her still sometimes unsteady control over her magic. Yes she had been part of saving his life and her magic along with Cobras had brought down Levia, but treasonous Rune Knights and Council lab experiments from their R&D department even made Laxus nervous. They weren't fighting criminals, this was war, the Rune Knights at ERA and the Council members who had fled there when their treason had been uncovered were powerful and seasoned at magical combat.

He glanced over at Cristoff, who was sitting with his back against a tree, Wendy between his legs leaning back against his chest cutting up a peach and passing him pieces, intermittently leaning to the side and inviting kisses the man didn't hesitate to deliver.

Cristoff and the mages coming from White Sea were trained for this, and he'd taught them all a good bit over the last nearly two years preparing for just this sort of fighting, but Laxus still felt ill prepared.

He understood how to assure his team was positioned to cover him, how to channel his magic so it didn't interfere with the magic of his team mates, and knew how to find and use the area healing spells Cristoff and now Wendy would both be providing to keep them strong and give them a huge edge over those they would be fighting, but still.

ERA was supposed to be a place where the Council of Magic provided education, training, where it sought ways to help the kingdom. Other countries Councils had already denounced Fiores, in fact only Seven hadn't issued kill orders for all of the leaders of Fiores Council of Magic that had been found to be involved.

So when this invasion failed, they had nowhere but Seven to run to, and Seven would be facing its own serious issues if they failed in taking Fiore.

They knew not the entire Alvarez empire was involved in this, parts hung back, but it felt like they were just watching, letting Seven test the waters and find out if the little country could defend itself. So Seven would have no back up if they failed, and Bosco meant to assure their neighbor wasn't up for regrouping and trying again, Fiore would help their secret soon not to be secret anymore ally in setting Seven back on its greedy ass.

As nightfall approached the rain came, but so did some woods so they got shelter from the worst of the wind and found a place to make camp, prepared to eat a cold dinner but Lucys spirits wouldn't hear of that and Virgo supplied hot stew and warm bread she and Aries passed out before everyone retreated to their tents.

Levy set up some strong barrier runes to guard the camp that would go off if anyone approached. Sound would be restricted to the tents too so if someone set off the alarms they wouldn't know they had since the tents had already been enchanted by Freed to allow no sounds to escape from them. It was an incredibly handy thing to do, helping keep the camp silent and secure so even if people were talking, shouting, screaming in a tent, if an enemy were passing within earshot they wouldn't hear a thing and those in the tents would be able to hear everything without disruptions.

So everyone climbed into their tents and settled in for the night, grateful to be out of the rain.

Lucy was already working on warming up, Erik was beyond hungry for her, being driven by what Cristoff had done to reverse his vasectomy one night spent breaking a bed and even the morning work out hadn't done much to scratch the new itch. There were 4 other dragon slayers and Levys runes to watch the camp and listen for trouble.

He'd shown enough restraint not tearing her clothes off when she'd come into the tent, instead removing them without damaging them because it wasn't like she was going to get to go shopping any time soon and Virgo could only do so much.

It was cold and wet and the rain never let up through the night so when they emerged the following morning they were dealing with mud and were wet as soon as they came out of their tents.

Everything was packed up and given to Virgo again and they reluctantly left the shelter of the wooded area back into the chill wind. They needed to make Peace Village by nightfall but it was going to be tough given the weather.

They spent the day dealing with ever worsening mud, slick surfaces clutzes like Lucy seemed determined to fall down on, though Cobra did a good job of keeping her on her feet. It was well after lunch that Laxus and Gajeel both snapped their heads to the side and with a soft growl got the other slayers to respond.

Only Lucy and Levy were left confused until they followed the riveted gazes of their men.

Through the rain dark shapes were moving across the cultivated fields around them. About twenty it looked like, moving fairly quickly. Gajeel growled low, his grip on Levys hand tightening.

"Two Berserkers…18 men with them…Sevenese." Gajeel whispered when Levy tugged his sleeve, her eyes widened. They were out in the open, even though they had dropped when Laxus and Gajeel had spotted them, it was just as likely the Berserks had seen them too.

"Yeah…but I really love working in the rain." Laxus smiled, his eyes narrowing.

"Stun and kill, it's the best way to handle Berserkers." Cristoff reminded him. Laxus nodded and Cristoff looked at Wendy "Boost em up love, time to test your new strength." He nodded at her and she smiled, lifting her hands and whispering her incantations she pushed speed, strength and power into Laxus who closed his eyes and rumbled, looking sideways at Wendy before grinning darkly and starting toward the Sevenese group. Wendy pushed her boosts into everyone else, including Cristoff, who drew a breath as they flowed into him and gave her a heated look.

Cobra snickered "See what I said about foreplay?" as he stalked forward staying low.

They kept near each other, spreading a little but not so much it would be easy to single any of them out, a V formation with Laxus at the center since his magic was going to hit very very hard in these conditions.

Wendy called up her wind, setting up the field for her area heal and the reverse effect for the enemies. She had never used it before in a real situation but had practiced it a lot so cast it with confidence.

Laxus crouched and growled and a deep horrible growl answered him, Sevenese chatter was low but both Bickslow and Cristoff smirked.

The Sevenese handlers were startled there had been a beastly growl that hadn't come from their Berserks, they hadn't fought Dragon Slayers, probably were not prepared for them.

The first Berserk certainly wasn't prepared for what it met as it rushed forward, when the lightning snaked down from the sky, Laxus opting to call in power rather than use his own, the beast didn't stand a chance and Cristoff saw he hadn't needed to worry about Laxus going easy on the Sevenese.

Once he had that bolt down he used the hell out of it too, it all but vaporized the first Berserker, leaving a thing behind that had partially just…shattered by the lighting strike.

The second Berserker faired slightly better, seizing up mid lunge as the bolt hit it square in the chest and blasted through it taking out most of the center of its body so it landed in a lifeless heap.

The first few Sevenese charged having no idea at all what was happening but watching them get ripped apart by a lightning bolt that was distinctly targeting them, thunder clapping over and over shaking the ground had the others trying to run for it, that's when Cobra and Gajeel pounced and Bickslows babies whirled into formation, mowing the remaining men down including the two unfortunate mages who had been handling the Berserkers.

18 Sevenese troops and two berserkers were down, most of them dead in less than five minutes.

Laxus let the bolt disperse back up into the clouds and after a few minutes looking around, listening, they all relaxed, taking stock of each other and starting back in the direction they were headed.

"I decided stunning was a waste of time, just kill them, not like we can tie them up and wait for authorities." Laxus said darkly.

Lucy bit her lip, trying not to look at the dead men as they left the area. This was war…the men would have happily killed them, let the Berserkers rape her, Levy and Wendy to death to get them better blooded and build their lust, she knew that, but watching Laxus kill them, Gajeel, Cristoff, and her own mate had killed those men, Cobra had rammed his poisoned talons right into a mans throat, dropped his convulsing body and dug them into the chest of the next.

The men had died quickly, but it had looked painful and Cobra hadn't even flinched doing it, she'd felt some remorse, he didn't like having to do it, she felt that, but she'd also felt the Dragon in him keen over destroying enemies, threats.

Her mate was flawless in combat, perfect for war. She'd had her whip out, had been ready to use it, but it hadn't been needed, the Dragons and Bickslow had made short work of those men. It frightened her they all looked so calm about it.

Cobra slowed until Lucy was beside him and he took her hand and brought it to his lips, startling her. "Not calm, not happy about having to kill people Tink but this is war, we leave those men breathing they're likely to come up behind us and try to kill us or worse, you're right about what they would have done if they'd had the upper hand, I took that guys throat out because of what he was thinking about doing to you, killed the next one for the same reason. The third because he wanted to get to Levy and Gajeel was already dealing with two others."

He looked at him, knew he was being honest, but it didn't help much.

"I know…I know we have to, but I know I won't do it willingly." She admitted.

"Another reason I'm your mate, that balance shit Gajeel is always talking about, you just need to keep yourself safe, let me get the blood on my hands, not like I'm not used to it." He said then froze, Lucy jerked her head toward where he was looking and saw Laxus signaling them to get down.

Everyone crouched below the height of the crops in the fields around them and Lucy held Cobras hand, he let her, he had no intentions of moving more than a few steps from her side at any point until this was over.

"Laxus says 11 in this group, only one berserker. Lets move Tink, stay close to me." He squeezed her hand, pulling her along with him as he stalked forward quickly to get them into position.

Again Laxus took the lead, sending in his own lightning while while Wendy created a fog, she'd never condensed water using her air control on this scale before, it was something Cristoff had been working on with her because he had a fog spell that could make enemies so sleepy they didn't function and was sure she could work out a variation of that with the use of air. "That's right, let it spread, keep the push gentle, fog will shred like really thin silk and you'll get dry spots where the enemy can regain their senses if you let that happen." He was saying softly.

This while he sent a Shooting Star into the head of a man. Wendy didn't look, she didn't want to see what she knew that would do.

She was struggling more than Lucy with what was happening. She'd seen Cristoff kill before, knew he was careful and stone cold when he had to do it, but to Wendy, even the lives of these enemies were precious, should not be snuffed out just because they were dangerous.

Watching Laxus and Gajeel kill men was also hard for her. She wasn't stupid or delusional, she knew both men had killed before, especially Gajeel, but watching them, how they, like Cristoff, were so detached from the process, and then Cobra, who almost smiled as he ended a life, it was horrifying.

Bickslow saved her, saved Lucy and Levy too, all three women were getting rapidly overwhelmed watching the men they loved doing what had to be done. They helped, they fought too, but none of the three of them could kill.

Then Laxus stood up straight wide eyed and Cobra stumbled to a halt his mouth falling open staring in the same direction as Laxus.

Lucy, tears running down her face looked and froze, gasping and then choking on a laugh.

Three of the men they were supposed to be fighting were…well…they had pulled their clothes off and were…uh…pleasuring each other passionately.

Bickslow standing a few feet away was grinning.

"Bix…." Laxus growled.

"What? Seriously boss, when these three are done fucking each other, with homosexuality considered a sin punishable by death by public dismemberment in Seven, you think they're gonna be worried about the invasion? If they don't kill themselves…which keeps their blood off our hands…they'll go start some little love in village somewhere and stay quiet. You all weren't dealing with these three so I got creative." The Seith shrugged.

"I can't fucking unsee that shit…" Cobra breathed and Lucy doubled over, laughing. Levy a few feet away did the same and Wendy soon followed, all three women almost in hysterics as Laxus narrowed his eyes on Bickslow.

The Seith Shrugged "What? I can handle up to ten at once, I call next group if its fewer than ten, except berserkers, those shits don't have souls, I'm thinking naked square dancing…" He winked at Wendy who was almost crying she was laughing so hard.

Cristoff smiled, patting his brothers shoulder as he walked past before turning and trying to get his giggling mate to sober enough she could move.

Cobra and Gajeel were doing the same, both men snickering in spite of themselves as the grunts and moans coming from the men kept causing the woman to burst into new fits of giggles.

Bickslow reached Laxus and his expression sobered "Girls were coming undone, too much killing too suddenly, figured I'd change shit up. Their souls aren't turning gray anymore." He whispered to Laxus who stilled and looked at his friend for a moment before smiling.

Gray meant despair, Bickslow had told him about that once when Evergreen had lost her father a few years ago and Bickslow had been clowning it up seemingly with incredible disrespect after the funeral they had all accompanied their team mate to. He'd been trying to change the dulling despair of Evergreens soul, it had worked, Evergreen had turned him to stone, but when she'd finally released him he told Laxus about why he'd been acting like such an ass.

He had apparently just done the same sort of thing, and Laxus couldn't argue, the three men moaning and panting among the crops, when Bickslow released them, would either kill themselves or disappear but they certainly wouldn't be a threat with how horrible Seven was about things like that.

So they moved on, and Lucy was better, so were Levy and Wendy. Yes what they were being forced into was horrid, but Bickslow had just proven it didn't change who they were.

It was well after dark before they reached Peace Village and they encountered four more small groups along the way, Bickslow made good on his promise too, and while Laxus wasn't sure it was the smartest thing to leave Sevenese soldiers fucking each other among the crops of various fields he and the others killed any Berserkers encountered and let Bickslow do his thing, it kept Lucy, Wendy and Levy from coming apart, though Wendy, he was sure, had heard the men in one group start killing each other when Bickslow had released them because Laxus had heard it.

Still she wasn't watching HER mate killing people, her kin with blood on their hands, so somehow it made it easier and he couldn't deny them that. It wouldn't be long before that morbid luxury wasn't possible anymore.

He and the other slayers along with Bix had vowed they would do all they could to make sure Wendy, Levy and Lucy didn't have to kill anyone. Every one of the men had killed, Cobra and Gajeel had kill lists that were terrifying even to them, but they knew doing that was something they all wanted to spare their Nakama if they could. It was unlikely they would be able to keep that up for long, but they would try.

He was grateful Bickslow had come up with a way to ease the transition into this war a little easier. Morbid yes, but easier. Bickslow had that way about him, he played the clown but the man was incredibly sharp, observant, endlessly able to plan on the fly and think fast in hard situations.

He wasn't a member of the Raijinshuu just because he was fun to be around.

Peace Village had runes all around it, Levy spotted them and stopped everyone but smiled faintly, walking ahead even as Gajeel lunged to stop her, she just grabbed his outstretched hand and yanked him with her as she stepped over the first set.

Runes flashed but settled and she met wide Crimson eyes that were looking around searching for any threat, patting his arm she kept walking and the others followed, Laxus could see some of it, so many years with Freed and he'd learned some about runes, could even write some himself and use a bit of the magic pretty well.

They weren't enemies, they weren't Sevenese, they had no ill intent, layer by layer it was clear how these had been set up to inflict ever increasing harm on any of the invaders unfortunate enough to come close.

Tents, military issue, popped up well beyond the normal borders of Peace Village, and horses and riding elk were staked out on picket lines all wearing military tack.

"Wendy?!" A familiar voice called and they all looked up to see pink hair, Sherry Blendy stood by Lyon and a couple other members of Lamia Scale near a large fire and about a dozen or so tired looking troops.

Wendy smiled and ran forward, Sherry embracing her tearfully before stepping back and looking up, watching the others come into the light and pulling Lucy to her for a hug.

"Oh Gods, please tell me you have the strength and energy to help a few wounded." Sherry said, her voice breaking.

Wendy reached out and grabbed Cristoffs hand, pulling him closer "Of course WE do." She said firmly and Cristoff smiled, he would have offered, but he could accept being voluntold.

"Who's in charge?" Laxus asked. Lyon sighed. "Jura, Ooba didn't survive the fight when they attacked Margaret Town and destroyed the guild hall, it was good we had this as a fall back." The Ice make mage replied.

"Yeah, Fairy Tail had just barely completed setting up a branch in Shirotsume when Magnoila was razed." Laxus admitted. They, like Lamia Scale, had suffered a lot of loss, many of Fiores guilds had.

"I'm glad you guys managed to stay together, glad you're here too…is Gray…Juvia…?" He was almost afraid to ask, but Laxus smiled and nodded "They're fine, both up in Shirotsume, Grays pissed he wasn't allowed to come to this, but Gramps was determined to keep some power close to hold together what we have left."

Lyon smiled "I'm really glad to hear that." He said, watching as Sherry led Wendy and Cristoff into the village and nodding to the other "Better head in, Jura will need to talk to you all." He said.

While Wendy and Cristoff were taken to the building that was serving as a medical station the others were brought to Jura. The man was impressive, always had been. His glowering countenance though lightened when he saw the Fairy Tail mages come in.

They sat, drinks were poured, and Jura started filling them in on all that was happening.

"We've held the river, with the military's help of course, and only little groups, 20 or less, seem able to get past the front lines and not too many of those, we've handled them fine, the Village has been a good base. We got word through the beast master the approaching mages from Bosco have with them that they're moving up river as of this morning so it will be two days at best before they reach us here. Once we've grouped up, we'll head for Era and join the forces there for the final assault to bring it down." He said.

Laxus nodded as Jura sat on the desk at the head of the room. "I'm very happy you brought Wendy, a healer is something we've been in dire need of. As unhappy as I am she's also been exposed to this much danger because she is here. We…sorely miss Sherria." He admitted quietly.

"I hope we find her, that airship was stealth fitted, the one we brought down at Shirotsume right before the invasion started…Wendy swears she scented Sherrias blood on it, if she was right, it's how they took her and Risa during the fight at Hargeon." Laxus said and Jura had plenty of questions about the fight up north that Laxus answered as candidly as he could.

The two men talked for almost an hour before Sherry came into the building that Jura was calling Lamia Scales base, it was a small Inn, but it seemed to be serving them.

"Jura, I need you in the infirmary, Wendy and Cristoff…one of the men in there we thought was a Fioran soldier, in a Fioran uniform, Cristoff says he's Sevenese…" Sherry said nervously.

Jura stood and Laxus and his team followed as they made their way quickly across the village to where the infirmary was set up in the Village meeting hall. "Have you told Captain Sheeda yet?" Jura asked. Sherry shook her head, "No Master, Cristoff said to tell you first." She replied.

Jura nodded, glancing at Laxus "Who is Cristoff?" He asked as they walked.

"Wendys mate and husband, he joined Fairy Tail almost two years ago, he's a Dragon Slayer and a healer, double s class. Used to be a member of White Sea in Bosco. Brother to Bickslow here too." Laxus replied.

Sherrys eyes flew wide "Wendys mate? Husband! Oh my God! Such love! She should have told me right away!" the woman said, flustered. Jura rolled his eyes.

Cristoff and Wendy were standing by a bed midway down the first row of them, there were 4 total, all that would fit.

When they reached them Cristoff looked at Levy "Silence this immediate area please, no sound should get out, just keep this to us." Levy nodded, hand flying out sweeping through the air swiftly with her light pen.

Once she nodded Cristoff looked at Laxus who nodded toward Jura so Cristoff focused on bald man.

"He's in a Fioran uniform. When Wendy started to try and heal the headwound he had she got concerned because her spells wouldn't work so she called me over, I tried and found resistance to the magic so I did a quick search and found this." Cristoff held up a small lacrima shaped like a grain of rice.

"It's a Sevenese tracking and control lacrima. Doesn't make people into puppets like they had hoped they could make it do when they developed them, but inflicts pain if they disobey commands, it was implanted behind his left ear, interfering with healing because it creates a sensoring dampening field to prevent easy detection, decreases this mans scent, sound, makes him better able to move without being detected or tracked." Cristoff told them.

"You've encountered them before then?" Jura asked, Cristoff nodded "Yes, during a campaign to drive back a border challenge with the Sevenese I was in three years ago in Bosco."

Jura took the device, frowning "Is it dangerous?" He asked.

Cristoff shook his head "No, not beyond what it does to the person it's in, it can be used as a trigger for things which is why I removed it when I found it. Odds are he was sent in here, that's a minor head injury, I'm willing to bet he has a lesser sleeping draft ingested to keep him out, normal medical inspection wouldn't be able to force him awake…but I can, so when he didn't come to after I healed the head injury I sleep induced him myself, he'll remain under until I wake him now." Cristoff told him.

Jura nodded grimly. "Sent in unconscious in a stolen uniform to get past the rune defenses, we'll have to change them up to disallow even unconscious enemies. We can hand him over to the Captain then."

Bickslow cleared his throat, looking hard at Laxus who nodded "Uh…we can get information that might be really useful first. Bickslow here is…ah…a variety of telepathic, I advise we let him, Cristoff and Cobra…talk to him, you can let the Captain join us if you trust him, but I don't want the military knowing what my people are capable of, our team was assembled like it is for a reason and I don't want the military commandeering any of them."

Jura nodded, he understood that, he'd had to fight to keep his own mages together. "Your healers in particular, the military had come looking for Sherria several times." He said. Laxus nodded, he already knew Gajeel had struggled with the military up in Shirotsume to keep Wendy from being outright drafted into service while they had been gone and since they had all gotten up there the General there had been filing every form of request to the crown to draft Wendy and Cristoff both.

He couldn't blame them, Wendy alone could replace a dozen medical teams and Cristoff…his field experience could turn a battle around, make troops nearly immortal. But there were bigger things at play than just the battle between military forces, the magical world as well was at war so the edge provided by healers like Wendy and Cristoff was crucial if Fiore was going to retake ERA and eliminate the corrupted officials who had set all of this in motion.

He was grateful Zeref and his demons hadn't taken advantage of what was happening, if that happened, well, he didn't want to think about that.

Assured the man was perfectly fine and no longer had any injuries to worry about, Jura hefted him over a shoulder and they carried him from the infirmary getting far fewer curious looks than one would expect. Once in Juras "office" Captain Sheeda was summoned while they decided they weren't going to bother with open questioning and Cristoff took his place by the mans head while Bickslow went to work.

Unconscious held under by Cristoffs sleep spell the man wouldn't even know anything had happened to him.

The tracking device was fed to a bird with some seed and it was released, it flew rapidly west and they all agreed the Sevenese would have a hell of a time trying to figure out why their spy was suddenly moving faster than humanly possible west.

Bickslow sat back after almost an hour, even Cristoff, who had seen his brother work before, and Laxus who knew him so well had both started to worry after the first half hour passed, he never stayed in someones soul for so long.

He was sweating, breathing a little harder than he should have been, and didn't push Wendys hand away when she shoved his visor and hood back and started helping him to cool down, eased his pounding head.

"So…yeah, dude is one fucked up motherfucker I'll tell you that, kill him, I'm really not kidding, he's nasty and dark as fuck. Been a spy for the Sevenese for more than 30 years and holy fuck do I need to talk to my dad about some of the shit I found out." He blinked, looking around a little woozy, something Wendy was trying to help with.

"So yeah, he was set up to come in here unconscious, when he woke he was to kill any Fiorans that were conscious in the infirmary and light it on fire as a distraction then hunt down and kill Jura, Captain Sheeda, poison the water and food supplies and capture Sherry, they wanted her. He was planning to rape the hell out of Sherry before he brought her back to his commanding officer who is some nasty ass really dark as fuck wizard named Nuryev that even this sick fuck is afraid of." Bickslow drew a breath, narrowing his eyes a moment then looking at Jura.

"Sherria is dead man, this guy…he helped some bastard named Dain rape and torture her, then Nuryev had an artificial Seith mage suck her magic essence and soul out of her into a lacrima, and incinerated her body." He said quietly. Lyon had to reach out quickly to catch Sherry who fainted. Wendy was biting her lip, her hands stalled, magic stopped flowing, Cristoff pulled her into him, holding her against him with one arm while reaching out with his other hand to finish what she had started on Bickslow. She started sobbing silently into his chest as Bickslow went on, Lucy now tucked into Cobra, Levy wobbling a moment until Gajeel wrapped his arms around her from behind, pulling her down to sit with him.

"Nuryev is Sevenese, been running the R&D in ERA for the last 5 fucking years and he's the bastard that's been killing dragons and a lot of other things Laxus, ripping souls and magic out of people to create those fucking lacrima. This asshole doesn't know why exactly but he had his suspicions about the lacrima being used to sell in other countries to help fund this invasion and also to power up regular troops and beef up the Sevenese army." Bickslow drew a breath, his eyes had started to glow he was so pissed.

"Nuryev doesn't really care if the Sevenese win or lose this, he's playing the part of the victimized abused scientist, he's the one who was on the airship running the attack on Hargeon and on Shirotsume, won't fight, doesn't want to risk his pretty face. His mother is one of the rulers of Seven and this guy overheard a few conversations Nuryev had with her, yeah, incest much? Even this guy was disgusted by it but did his job. Fuck Laxus, that Nuryev guy, he's been playing all sides, been at the root of this shit since the beginning, implanted here by the Sevenese 5 years ago he killed the other project leaders and took over the R&D and the Council never questioned him because of the results he delivered." Bickslow gave his brother a grateful look, fixing the headaches he got from deep dives like that wasn't easy even for a healer, but it meant Bix would be able to function.

Captain Sheeda was gaping "You…how did…never mind, I don't want to know and it doesn't matter. Did this man know how to get into ERA?" He asked.

Bickslow smiled, looking at Laxus and nodding slowly "Yes, there's a fucking secret way in an out fuckers like him have been using our side doesn't know about, well…didn't…we sure as fuck do now though. He was sent to break the little point of resistance keeping them from using the Peace River, basically, to end you guys here, take the area over for the Sevenese and bring Sherry back as some sort of fucking prize. They don't know about the Boscans coming though." He added with a dark smile.

Laxus nodded, Jura was clenching and unclenching his fists looking at the man behind Bickslow. "You can wake him yes? He is not hurt, he is able to fight?" The man asked.

Bickslow stood and got out of the way when Cristoffs nod sent the wizard saint into motion.

The man grabbed the Sevenese spy by the collar of his uniform and carried him outside walking swiftly. "Shit…." Laxus said, jumping up and hurrying after the man.

"Jura! I want a piece of him!" Lyon called but he was still holding Sherry who was still unconscious.

"I doubt he plans to leave much of anything." Cobra said, he could hear the mans calm, determined inner voice.

Jura intentions were simple, the man he was dragging outside had helped to kill Sherria, had raped her, tortured her in her final hours. Jura was going to end him and then the others involved.

He held Lucy, who had started to go outside and shook his head at her "You know Tink, I know you knew her, but even I don't want to watch what Jura plans to do." Cobra said firmly, holding his mate firmly and Lucy met his gaze and relented, sinking back into his embrace and pushing herself in tight beneath his chin.

Wendy though wrenched out of Cristoffs arms and hurried outside ignoring his protest. When they got outside Jura had tossed the spy to the ground it the end of the Villages main street.

It was dark, the rain had finally let up and the clouds were broken though still moving swiftly with the aggressive winds. Jura looked at Cristoff as he came outside and pointed to the prone form on the ground.

"Wake him so he may face justice for his crimes." He said.

Wendy was staring at the man, hate like nothing she'd ever felt before so strong in her she didn't know how to deal with it.

Sherria had been raped, tortured and killed and that man had been part of it, she wanted him to suffer, wanted to SEE him suffer, needed to know he had. Sherria had been her friend, almost a sister!

She looked hard at Cristoff waiting for him to wake the man and he met her eyes, his dark eyes sad, but when she gave him a desperate look, indicated she wanted him to do what Jura asked, he nodded and barely lifted his hand toward the man who started moving in moments.

When Rulus came too he knew two things, he had the worst fucking headache of his life, and he was NOT in an infirmary bed.

No, he was in the cold mud, wetness seeping into the stolen Fioran uniform. It was one of many uniforms he'd stolen, he'd been in Rune Knight garb mostly since coming to Fiore, serving the implanted spy team in ERA for the last year in preparation for the invasion.

He was set up pretty nice. Nuryev was a scary sick bastard but, Rulus was too, he enjoyed getting to help Dain break the little mages that came in, Nuryev leaned toward pretty young women, Rulus had brought quite a few in over the last year, usually women who had rejected him he knew were mages, he loved seeing them recognize him once they were stripped naked in the chair.

Dain did some pretty sick shit to them to break their wills, Rulus just helped with the rape part. He was big, strong, good at making it hurt.

Looking up he saw the Lamia Scale leader, the tall bald Wizard Saint, he was supposed to poison him since fighting him was out, guy was way too fucking powerful even for an experienced poison mage like himself.

Yeah…didn't look like that was gonna happen. Guy looked pissed, and he saw unfamiliar people around, there was Captain Sheeda, well fuck, maybe he could get to one before baldy did him in.

He wondered how they had figured out he wasn't just some poor wounded Fioran nobody. Didn't really matter though. Clearly they had and now he was facing at least one pissed off mage he knew he couldn't beat.

He knew he couldn't sneak out through the rune fields, no chance, he was trapped, doubtful he'd get the time he'd need to break down those barriers from the inside out.

He saw the two mages in the back, tall guy with longish black hair and a cute curvy thing with blue hair both look toward a doorway. The black haired guy called out "Jura, he's a poison mage with shadowstep abilities."

Well fuck, how the hell did they know that?" No time to dwell on it. Rulus gained a crouched position and took his first step just as tall and bald started talking. "You harmed my guildmate…"

Popping out of shadow behind the big man Rulus pressed his hand to the mans bare skin and Jura screamed staggering forward.

He had stepped to shadow and out again, coming out behind the Captain, reaching for the mans neck because it was the only bare skin he could reach when lightning struck him.

Thrown flying he hit the wall of a nearby building and tumbled back into the street, wide eyed and gasping. Looking over he saw the huge blonde guy standing with his arms crossed over his chest, electricity running over thick arms.

Well fuck…a lightning mage.

"Sherria was a friend, you raped her…" The bald man was saying, the blue haired woman was at his side and he saw soft magic flowing from her into the big man, saw the big mans color returning.

Fuck again…a healer, but there was only supposed to be one healer in Lamia scale and that was the pink haired beauty they had already harvested, she'd been fun, had lasted for hours before she broke.

She'd been so good he'd planned to take her sister or cousin or whatever the fuck the older hottie was here with the same pink hair. Bring her back for Dain and him to enjoy and maybe Nuryev would want her magic too.

He took a shot, shadow stepped again, this time grabbing the blue haired woman and reached with all his strength, dug deep into his magic and stepped once more, trying to emerge outside the rune fields, pumping poisons into the healer as he shoved his hands up under her coat and sweater, ripped her bra in half and grabbed her breasts, if he was going out he was leaving his mark in the worst way he could think of, kill a healer, a pretty little thing he would have just loved to fuck, would too if he could step outside the runes with her.

He wasn't that strong though, the rune fields went too far, but he was gratified as the runes went off they were hitting the woman too because of his hold on her, he felt it, heard her screams, then someone was ripping her from his grasp, he could barely see, so much magic was going off all at once, there was no way…the black haired man he'd seen was there, but that wasn't possible, he'd travelled at least 100 feet or more into the rune field.

But the woman was out of his arms, and as the runes paralyzed him he could see the bald man approaching, saw the black haired man swing the woman up into his arms and move away swiftly.

The bald one was grabbing him by his shirt rocks started rising from the ground, rocks that were grinding into him and he screamed in pain, he screamed until his throat couldn't manage it anymore, until he felt it must be bleeding, he knew other parts of him had to be, death was coming, he knew it had to be, the bald man knew, somehow he knew Rulus had been one of the men to take out the cute little healer and his retribution was horrific even to Rulus' standards.

Cristoff saw the dark mage shift again. Saw he re-appear to take Wendy and felt her fear, felt her pain, revulsion as the man shoved hard hands under her cloths, grabbing flesh, disgusting even in his last attack.

He saw red then, shifted instantly to where they were now engulfed in the reactions of the rune field, he reached into the bombarding magic and ignored what it did, grabbing Wendy, ripping her from the mans grasp, shifting back to a spot clear of it all only vaguely aware of Jura walking past him.

He saw only Wendy, burned by the runes because the man had been holding her as they hit him. Grimacing he pushed up her sweater and grit his teeth and the burns and purple and green flesh, black veins branching away from the hand prints on her creamy skin. "COBRA!" He shouted over the noise of the mans screams.

Cobra jerked, he'd heard the man, heard Cristoff too, setting Lucy next to Gajeel and Levy he raced outside, spotted Cristoff on his knees bent over Wendy, Bickslow and Laxus close, looking horrified.

Skidding to a stop he looked over what was happening, bent low over Wendy sniffing and frowned "Man, You are NOT gonna like what I gotta do here, Laxus, Bix, make sure Moony doesn't kill me!"

Cristoff frowned as Bix came up behind him with Laxus, "What are you talking about, I'm a fucking healer I can…" The snarl that came out of him then wasn't human or even close to it as Cobra bent and sank his fangs into Wendys breast right where the skin was turning blackest.

Bix and Laxus grabbed him just fast enough as his dragon came unhinged. Not only was their mate hurt, him failing to protect her in that split second it had taken the man to get her, but another male Dragon Slayer was sinking long fangs into HIS mate.

He'd though he could accept whatever Cobra had to do, wasn't sure what he was expecting, just knew Cobra was a Poison Slayer and so a master of poisons who could help Wendy faster and better than he himself could. He had purity spells, some even worked on poisons, but he felt the moment he'd touched her skin this poison was bad, strong, magical.

Cobra got it, pulled it in, drew it to him, it was foul, strong, meant to kill his little sister, rob them of another precious and beautiful person because that sick bastard liked the idea of that being his final act.

His lacrima started pumping the antidote into his blood and he channeled it right through his fangs into her, shifting from her chest to grab a wrist and bite there, then hitting the artery at her neck so the antidote could spread faster than the poison because it destroyed flesh horrifically fast.

Siting back he wiped Wendys blood from his mouth and looked up at Cristoff who had stilled as soon as he'd withdrawn from Wendy.

"You gotta heal all the damage it did now…" He said, standing and stepping back before nodding to Laxus and Bickslow who both released Cristoff and the man lunged down to his knees hands immediately on Wendys skin, he looked up, finding the moon through the clouds and a magic circle lit up under her, radiating light up into her and her body reacted more than he'd expected because she so welcomed light, and was so at ease with his magic, so accepting of it.

Everything he fixed with meticulous care, down to the fang marks Cobra had left before he finally stopped, pulled her up against him, nuzzled into her face as the screams of the man who had hurt her were starting to fade and weaken, though Jura showed no signs of being done.

Lifting Wendy up Cristoff carried Wendy back to the office, Lucy and Levy both bolting up when he came in.

"Fucker tried to take her with him…" Cristoff growled and went and sat across from where Lyon was still holding Sherry, glaring toward the door.

"It sounds like Jura is making him pay…" He said softly. Cristoffs eyes were cold "I'm tempted to go heal him so Jura can do it again…" He said darkly. It wouldn't be the first time he'd done something like that.

Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxxoxoxox

When Jura, Laxus, Bix and Cobra returned, after Cobra had pushed the antidote through Jura and Cristoff had set the mage right again, they were given cramped quarters until the forces from Bosco arrived.

None of them complained, the little rooms were far better than tents in the mud. When Wendy came to she was already in one of her favorite night shirts, one stolen from Cristoff months ago, she could hear the shower going and smiled faintly, she was tired, and unsure if that was just the trek, cold, fighting and healing or leftovers from what that dark mage had done to her.

Either way, she wanted to wash away the day and couldn't imagine anything better than doing so with her mate so she pulled the shirt and her panties off and slipped into the bathroom taking just a moment to enjoy the view before making her presence known.

Looking at him still gave her a little thrill every time, his hair was getting longer, she'd been pestering him to leave it, let it grow, she loved running her fingers through it, and pulling on it. He was rinsing it out, hands over his head pushing through the thick black depths when she stepped in with him. It was close quarters but she didn't mind, and he smiled when her hands ran up his body. "How do you feel?" He asked, switching places with her so the steaming water flowed over her and his strong hands were pushing through her dark blue hair so the water got through it all, it felt amazing, having him working the shampoo into her hair.

"Mmm, so good right now…" She purred and he grinned, bending to start washing the rest of her, careful of her chest, it was likely to be tender and she opened her eyes when his hands moved over her breasts lightly. "I'm ok Cristoff…shaken…but ok, really." She said firmly and he pulled her to him, crushing her in a wonderful hug that had her laughing.

"Scared me…terrified me…Cobra was right there, took care of the poison but still…" He said softly and she pushed her face against his, nuzzled into him like they both loved and they finished in the shower, Cristoff handling her with care, settling over her, hips sliding between her legs and she closed her eyes as he pushed into her body with his, started a slow gentle pace, propped up on his elbows, dipping his head to kiss her and kept kissing her, only briefly stopping when he would meet her eyes, he needed to make up to her his failure to protect her, and while she saw no way he could have done more than he had, she kissed him back, pushed her body against him, showed him she forgave him.

Xoxoxoxoxoxoxo

The Boscan forces numbered over 400 mages, Jura watched as three Boscan ships unloaded, it seemed a never ending stream and Bickslow was chatting happily with some of the first ones to step off the first ship.

A Beastmaster named Beck and a light mage named Gaza had been thrilled to see him and Cristoff. Jura learned Cristoff had been second in command of White Sea before he had come to Fiore. The reason why he had come seemed to be something between his brother Bickslow and him being drawn to Wendy,

He could understand that, Jura had always seen Wendy as a wonderful girl and young woman, she had blossomed like Sherria had, the pair had been inseparable while Wendy had been with Lamia Scale. His heart still ached over that loss, Sherria had not deserved her fate.

He had called to Crocus, told Heaths family, maybe the man could get some closure now, get healthy again, love again.

He felt hope though now for the first time since Margaret Town had been razed.

Once they were off the boats the ships headed off and Beck and Gaza wasted no time, going over maps with Jura and Laxus the now army of mages headed out in under an hour from the minute the last one had stepped off the third ship.

ERA was a days march from Peace village and the Mages covered that ground quickly but instead of heading to join up with the forces already there, word was sent ahead of an alternate plan and they went to the entrance Bickslow had learned from Rulus.

The small tunnel was well hidden in amongst some trees but they found it, and Laxus' group joined the mages that streamed into the tunnel, they had rock, iron, earth mages including Jura, if there was a trap, it wouldn't work well.

When they poured into the facility chaos erupted instantly. The Knights were caught completely by surprise their only escape route would take them into the hands of over 1000 regular army forces so they tried to fight.

The bizarre things they encountered were too many to really number. From strange hybrid creatures to Knights with too many kind of magic in them to manage them safely. Laxus tried to keep with Jura, Lyon and Sherry because Lamia scale couldn't be allowed to die here and if Jura was brought down, the guild would go with him.

His team stayed with them, that was the plan from the beginning, no matter what happened they would stay together, cover each other's backs.

They fought their way through so many things Laxus lost track. The women could no longer hold against them the killing that had to be done because they had to do little of it. The mages from Bosco held no reservations about laying waste to every Rune Knight they encountered and there were bodies everywhere, something that started to weight on even Cobra as they made their way deeper and deeper into the facility.

The egg chamber stopped Laxus dead in his tracks. Sitting there, in various small glass cases, were dragon eggs. At least 8 of them. He looked at Lucy who blinked a moment then pulled out Virgos key. A few minutes later, all 8 eggs were safely out of the mess, tucked away in the spirit realm waiting for things to settle.

The battle went through the night and through the following day, night had fallen again when Jura shattered a door and an eruption of gas streamed into the hall they were in. "Hold your breath." Cobra called out and stepped forward, his deep inhalation sucked it in, and his lacrima hummed inside of him, his magic soared as a rich nasty toxin flooded into his dragon lungs. He sucked in every trace of it, wiping his mouth and wobbling slightly from the rush as he absorbed a lot of very powerful poison.

Jura shot into the room it had come from and froze, staring.

Inside were a few tables, clearly set up to hold human beings. The "room" was actually an enclosed balcony of sorts overlooking a massive bay beyond the glass wall where the corpse of a dragon lay chained to a wall.

The beast had been beautiful once, its scales a lusterous pale blue edged in silvery white, a mane of white hair erupted from behind twin horns of silver and spilled halfway down the elegant long neck. It wasn't a massive dragon, not like Igneel or Raineria or even Motherglare, smaller than Levia in fact but the abuse it had endured before it died was evident.

Levy picked up a file from the desk by the door while Gajeel and Laxus both rested hands on the glass, looking out at the dead dragon.

"Subject, Eglo the Ice Dragon. Captured in the mountains of western Icenburg…" Levy read. As she read on tears formed in her eyes and she started shaking her head, finally throwing the file onto the desk "How could anyone…" She breathed.

Jura picked up the file and glared "All of these tests, tortures, all ordered by the same man Rulus was working for…Nuryev." He said.

"This must have been his lab…" Bickslow was looking around, digging, so was everyone else, opening ever cabinet, drawer. Laxus pulled out a case and inside were 9 lacrima.

"Not used yet…" He said quietly.

There were stand along the rail that seemed to be built to hold Lacrima and they looked at everything, searching hopefully for clues. Gaza contacted them to let them know they had reached the front area and regular army were flooding into the facility from every angle now.

They all looked at each other.

ERA was retaken….but where was Nuryev….where was the man responsible?


	29. Chapter 29 ERA, Invasion, Home

A/N Longer chapter, a lot to cover. To those asking for someone for Cana, I heard you. Thank you to Musicera, Moonbeam, Why, J.D, Words, Tier, Seafoam, Western and the many others who leave reviews that let me know if I'm still delivering engaging content, the complexity of an invasion, the politics etc can be dry material, I try to keep it paced so it's enjoyable to read...DESNA

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Gajeel wrinkled his nose, glaring forward, crouched he moved forward behind Laxus carefully, glancing back frequently to make sure there was nothing behind them.

Levy was with Lucy Wendy and Cristoff, along with about 100 or so troops a few levels up, safe, going through records, searching for information on Nuryev while Laxus, Gajeel, Bickslow and Cobra ventured into what used to be the prison in ERA seeking the control for the Dragons. They could sense it was there, Jura was leading a team and there were two more aside from his, all doing just what Laxus team was, searching for the controlling device, wizard, whatever it was that continued to drive the dragons, Scissor Runner, a Dark dragon whose name they hadn't found yet, and Zirconis, who was currently attacking Crocus.

With now time to get all the way to Crocus, it made more sense to find out what was controlling him. Levy had found a file in the torture room (they had dubbed it that) describing a large Lacrima that had been designed to control others that had been made and implanted into the dragons to control them from the large one.

It was called "Lacrima Draconian Alpha" and they could sense it. As they got deeper into the prison they had encountered things…replicants like the ones Motherglare used but these were…eerie, creepy…human-like but not, they stood about 4 feet tall, shorter than Levy, but they were powerful, and not fun to fight.

Cristoff hadn't been happy about staying behind, but there were wounded, plenty of them, and he and Wendy were needed to help with that. Laxus had his com, and if shit hit a proverbial fan, his lighting could teleport himself and the other three men up a few floors.

It was dark, a little damp, and Cobra, who had spent a few years here, wasn't exactly enthused about the environment, but he was up front anyway, knowing his way around better than any of the rest of them did.

"Anything big…it'll be in the next chamber, that opens up to open platform cells that were walled with magic, max security…I knew it too well. Only place wide open enough to really hold anything large." He told them and they pressed forward, deeper and deeper until Cobra was finally carefully easing a heavy door open.

As soon as the door cracked the frame light spilled into the hallway and everyone froze. Every sense came to bear and Laxus narrowed his eyes, humming…like…power flowing…" He whispered.

He looked at Bickslow who grinned "One scout coming up…" He whispered and pulled a marble out of his pocket. Popo took it and the marble sailed past them through the cracked doorway and went up immediately. Once the soul had cleared the door Bickslow could "see" what Popo saw and frowned.

"Bis thing, not really round, more orb-like, egg shaped…..big as one of us…and…about two dozen little replicant fuckers are crawling around it practically dry humping the fucking thing." He said softly.

Laxus nodded and pulled out his com, moving farther from the door and whispering into it when Jura appeared, or at least he'd dialed Jura, dark as it was only a vague shape greeted him.

"Found it, Max security level, guarded by replicants." He whispered. Jura grunted "Yes we have been encountering those." The man said unhappily, Laxus nodded "Us too, we'll wait for you to reach the level before we make a move."

"Ok, about 5 minutes, we aren't far from that section." Jura replied.

They all crouched silently on along the hallway. They had captured ERA two days ago and still were searching its depths for answers. Laxus was willing to bet the search would go on for a long time after they took this Lacrima.

They didn't have to wait long, and Jura didn't get the chance to coordinate with them for the attack, one of the mages with him tripped, fell, and in doing triggered something they were carrying which set off a small explosion and all hell broke loose.

The replicants were the creepy variety and Laxus cursed under his breath as he started hitting them one by one, he could only do so much indoors in a cramped space, had to downgrade into his hand to hand fighting abilities and those couldn't wipe out droves all at once, or at least, not large droves he smirked, he could still takes down a few at once.

"Fucking show off." Cobra snapped as Laxus mowed down four replicants with a lightning back punch.

"Don't be jealous now." Laxus snorted.

Cobra took down four in his next swing "Of what?" He smirked and Laxus grit his teeth…oh it was ON now.

No ex-crimnal earing wearing snake lover was going to match him or surpass him, uh uh, he was Laxus Fucking Dreyar the Thunder God.

He worked the next group until they had their backs to an empty hall and then, smirking, sent a lightning ball into six of them, blasting them into pieces that ricocheted down the empty hallway.

"Game. Set. Match Motherfucker." He sneered. Cobra snorted, leveling five then two more when her turned.

Gajeel sent the pieces of about a dozen of the damn things raining down on both of them. "Quit playing around." The Iron Dragon spat, smirking down at them.

"I thought you said two dozen…" Laxus glanced at Bickslow whos babies were blasting replicants like skeet at a target field.

"Yeah well there were some one level down that came up and crashed the party when the fun started…" He shrugged.

Laxus was frowning though as they did away with the replicants and turned to the large Lacrima. It rested on a pedestal clearly made for it and it made him nauseous.

Not a moral version of that feeling either, a riding a train for days without a rest sort of sick. It pulled at him too, and he backed away from it instinctually, a little gratified to see Gajeel and Cobra were already near the far wall looking as unhappy as he was.

Bickslow didn't miss it and narrowed his eyes, flaring his power and gasped "Boss…you Cobra and Gajeel need to get the fuck away from this thing….it's pulling your souls hard as fuck and if you stay in here it might just rip em out…" He said. Cobra was already staggering out the door, Gajeel right behind him and Laxus turned looking at Bickslow.

"Have Jura…help you…destroy it…" He said feeling alarmingly weak.

Bickslow turned and saw the man in question approaching. Jura was looking over the lacrima frowning. Essential, Lacrima were magic saturated jewels of the earth, and he was, an earth mage. He saw Laxus stagger out of the room and looked at Bickslow "It's trying to take their lives…their souls…" Bickslow said.

He was already working his babies out, gathering magic, he saw things in this lacrima he didn't want to see…the souls of dragons but also of people and other things, it was a serious mess in the damn thing and apparently it was capable to drawing more into itself.

He was already shielding himself and his babies. "We must destroy it quickly then…" Jura said firmly stepping back and looking at the other mages "All who can work rock or earth, this lacrima must be destroyed!" He called and Bickslow shuddered, bracing himself, when this thing blew, he would have to direct the souls out, up and out. Above, several levels up, light from outside spilled down into the pit they were in, they had to follow it.

He'd directed souls onward before, but not this many and never dragons.

He didn't have time to think much about it though because the mages were already working, more than a dozen of them including the large wizard saint near him attacked it at once and for a few moments, Bickslow though the lacrima was going to resist them, but then a crack formed and souls started erupting from it.

Slamming his visor back Bickslow channeled all he had into creating a soft of pathway, putting up deterrence's, like uncomfortable buffers up and out toward the light above. All he could do was hope the souls would find their way from there, he had no time to council each, there were just too many of them.

The dragon souls wanted their bodies back, wanted a body at all and that alarmed him, they were not exactly what he was call hostile, but they were dominant, and refused resistance but they moved, didn't hover or go haywire like a soul lost would do.

By the time the lacrima shattered Bickslow was breathing hard, sweat running down his face and between his shoulders to make a shiver run down his spine.

The assembled mages didn't know their bodies looked good to what was escaping the lacrima, likely didn't have any clue that part of the fight was happening or that only one mage was fighting it.

When it was over though, and Bickslow was leaning heavily on the railing of the suspended walkway that connected to the center point where the lacrima had been, Jura patted his shoulder. "Thank you for all you just did…" He said and Bickslow blinked at him, the man was an Earth mage, he couldn't have seen what was happening while breaking up that Lacrima, could he?

Shaking his head he went to the hall his team mates had retreated to and found all three dragon slayers holding their heads and working their way to their feet.

"Fuck…I feel like I just woke up from a weekend bender." Laxus groaned.

"Not so loud Sparky." Cobra hissed.

"You'll have to fill me in on what happened in there later, right now, lets get the fuck out of here…" Laxus said and Bickslow just smiled, helping his friends up and ignoring their nasty comments about not needing his fucking help.

Xoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Cristoff and Wendy went over the three Slayers carefully but found, aside from them being worn out, nothing physically wrong. Bickslow only shrugged "Their souls are fine now." He said when Wendy looked pointedly at him.

They got word through Jura and Captain Sheeda that Scissor Runner had abandoned the forces he had been with, taken to the skies and vanished, probably within moments of the lacrima being destroyed.

They left a couple of days after that. Makarov telling them they needed to start getting ready to retake Magnolia. So they retraced their steps back to Peace Village and began the long trek toward Magnolia, the front had broken, the Sevenes forces were starting to shatter. The Boscans had come up behind them and they had been pinned between two armies.

As they huddled around a fire the third night into their trek Laxus dropped his com lacrima back into his pocket and looked over the tired, cold group before him.

It had only been a few weeks at this point, the invasion had ended, no more Sevenese were coming into the country, and if the Fioran and Boscan forces had anything to say about it not many would leave either. Basically, a month. One month.

The death toll was unknown, the Fioran Council of Magic had been disbanded along with its Rune Knights, last toll was, Hargeon, Magnolia, Clover Town, and Gallowstown had all been run over by the invasion and were in various states of ruin nobody had yet assessed.

The Sevenes had employed dark magic, a lot of it, and when they left a city or town they had left either lesser berserkers or worse, Hellborn, behind to prevent people from filling into the places for refuge behind them.

Hellborn were creatures summoned via human sacrifice, a sort of demon from the plains of Hell itself. They were soulless, immortal masses of agony, evil and despair that spat toxic, molten ooze and were immune to most forms of magic. Regular troops stood no chance against them at all.

Hellborn once they gathered enough tortured souls into them, produced Hellspawn that in turn produced Hellseeds. Hellspawn were about the size of a horse, took various shapes, and Hellseeds were the size of a dog. There were various forms of the things, hellcats, hellhounds, serpents, even spiders the size of large dogs, all were dark, evil, and would dwell in a place of death and despair like a razed city very happily.

Only light and holy magic worked well against them, fire they could easily consume and get stronger from. Another Pergrandian favorite adopted by Seven.

Cristoff had already gone over the basics of the creatures with everyone in Fairy Tail before the invasion had happened. Bosco had been dealing with the Sevenese experimenting with Hell creatures for decades.

It was why Boscos major religions still used Immaculate Light in ceremonies and rituals, mages that had been bathed in Immaculate Light, that had allowed the Holy energy to seep into their beings and permeate their magic, were hugely effective against dark things, Hell creatures, demons and the like.

Cristoff had not gone through them all like he and Bickslows older brother Kaleb had, but Cristoff had been initiated, and was a Knight of the Holy Order, so Holy energy laced all of his magic and his body bore tattoos featuring holy runes, many of the enchantments he knew were holy in nature too.

Laxus knew all of this, and he also knew that because of the part of her marriage rituals to become Cristoffs wife where Wendy had been bathed in Immaculate light with Cristoff, she may have taken it in. He was hoping her magic had absorbed some of that Holy energy, he was betting it had, Wendy was one of the purest hearted people he had ever met. The light tended to favor people like her.

He didn't doubt Lucys magic would work well against Hell creatures, anything celestial, Cristoff had told them would be very effective. His own magic was all about light and energy, Cobra, with his abilities to convert toxins, might find a few really interesting ways to fight the things.

He knew steel could contain them, so Gajeel would be able to fight, Levy of course with her light scripts and runes would also work well and Bickslow was probably deadly against them using the kind of energies and magic that he did.

So his team here he was confident in. Kaleb was leading the forces that had liberated Clover Town and fought Scissor Runner south, clearing Oshibana, Kurugi and Onibus of enemies along the way he had the twin slayers from Sabertooth in his company and would be meeting up with with Cana, Erza and Elfman, since Mira and her group had reached Shirotsume and been reunited with the Master there.

They would clear Magnolia of the dark things the Sevenese had left to keep the city from recovering then press down into Hargeon and assure it was also clear before sweeping up and inland to make certain none of the Sevenese forces were hiding anywhere or had slipped through the initial Boscan assault.

They went over it all around the fire, enjoying some hot tea. Levy curled up in Gajeels arms had fallen asleep and the Iron Dragon was contemplating whether or not he could get her to their tent without waking her but the night sky was clear and even though it was a cold early November night, the fire felt good and they were wrapped in a warm blanket tempting him to stay right where they were.

Glancing across the fire he could see Wendy had done the same as Levy and was sound asleep in Cristoffs arms, the Lunar slayer had already given up trying to move from where he was though and had laid back, looking up at the night sky and seeming ready to join his mate in some much needed sleep.

Levy had laid out standard barrier and protection runes and Laxus and Bickslow were occupied with an impromptu card game, likely to be up for a while yet. Cobra and Lucy had retired to their tent and by the way it was moving now and then Cobra was still feeling the aftereffects of whatever the hell Cristoff had done while they were in Crocus.

Gajeel wasn't privy to whatever it was, only knew Cobra had had some sort of old medical issue inflicted on him while he'd been owned by Brain/Zero and Cristoff had been able to fix it.

Since then, even as they had trekked through warzones, slept in welt cold tents or hard floors in a terrifying Magic Council research facility, Gajeel seriously doubted Cobra and Lucy had gone a single day without sex.

Not that he and Levy had been inactive in that area, smirking slightly he was proud of the fact they had been busy there too, once they had both figured out that what they both got out of that helped them both cope with everything better, he'd taken every chance he had to get her alone.

Even so, as much as he never seemed to get enough of Levy or her of him, they weren't as bad as Lucy and Cobra. Hell, Gajeel was amazed the woman could walk some days.

Seeing the tent shudder again he rolled his eyes and snuggled down to get situated, the thick blanket was enough with the roaring fire and he laid Levy back against him careful not to wake her and smiling when she immediately latched onto him harder, burying her face in his neck.

It had been the right thing to do, mating, he'd been so worried about it but both of them were stronger for it, and he felt more than ever that as well as he could sense her, feel her, he could protect her better now than he could have before. It felt ridiculous now, all the time he'd made her wait, made himself wait. But they were together now, permanently, and that suited him perfectly he decided as he let himself drift into a light sleep.

Lucy was past her limits, she didn't know how they kept reaching them, she could swear she had better stamina, better everything. Erik was beyond passionate, he was insatiable, and the bond between them had made her the same way lately.

Were she not enjoying it so holy Gods and sweet Mavis completely enjoying the sex so much she might have been embarrassed. They were in a group of mostly Dragon Slayers, all of whom could smell, hear, sense that she and Erik were all over each other endlessly but she couldn't find anything in her to give a damn.

Yes they had been trekking through warzones in the midst of an invasion, had infiltrated a magic research facility filled with things out of nightmares, but sweet Gods was her mate incredible at making her forget all about all of that with his mind numbing kisses and world rocking skills with his delectable body.

So the other couples knew, she was used to Levy and Wendys smirks now, immune to Bickslows comments when he dared make them because Erik was never far from her side and even Bickslow knew he shouldn't tease too much about certain things.

Cristoff only chuckled the one time Lucy asked him if it was normal. "It is for you two, just enjoy it." He'd replied.

So she was enjoying it. Arms around Eriks neck, legs wrapped around his hips as he pounded into her, holy Gods was she enjoying it, she couldn't get enough.

"Harder.." She panted and felt him grin where he was trailing kisses over her shoulder. He lifted himself, reaching down and pulling one of her legs up and she groaned at the new angle and the greater force he put behind his trusts.

"Th…there!...ah!...oh…Erik!" She gasped out and felt herself shooting toward her end, feeling it with her his fingers dug into the flesh on her hip and thigh, pulling her to meet his trusts until she shrieked and drug him with her into a hard orgasm.

They both fell to the soft wool bed she'd had Aries make for them and Lucy moved so she was on top of her dragon, smiling tiredly down into a half lidded lazy amethyst eye.

"I don't think I want this new you to go away." She declared and he smirked.

"Just using me for my body huh? I knew all that love stuff was bullshit." He teased. Lucy grinned.

"Not true, I love your ass, I love your lips, I love your hair, I really love this…" She said groping him and making him laugh.

He pushed her hair back with both of his hands, "Yeah? All body parts, figures." He smiled and she leaned down to kiss him, soft, chaste.

"I love your laugh, I love your sarcastic comments, I love how sharp and observant you always are…I love how you make me feel like I'm the most beautiful woman alive…" She whispered.

His lips brushed over hers "Most beautiful, intelligent, sassy, bitchy beast of a woman in the world and I love…" He stopped, meeting her sleepy eyes that sharpened when she heard that word come out of him "I love everything about you." He said and she narrowed her eyes.

"You love me…you're going to say it one day…" She said confidently.

He shoved her to the side, tucking her against him "Shut up, go to sleep and keep dreaming Tink." He said against her neck.

"yep…one day…it's going to just slip." She yawned.

"Shut up." He growled then yawned himself, sleep claimed them both soon after.

Xoxoxoxoxoxoxooxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

Cana rolled her eyes as Elfman commented, again, about how unmanly yet another burned farm was. She was sick of seeing them too, sick of seeing all of the devastation, death and horrors that seemed to lay everywhere in the wake of the areas where the Sevenese forces had been.

They encountered them here and there, but they were small groups, no more than 4-6, soldiers trying to retreat and escape Fiore. They were no match for Cana Erza and Elfman.

Cana could cast light spells with her cards, Elfmanns strength would allow them to move things and Erza, being a knight, had armor re-quips that would give her the holy power to deal with Hell creatures when they reached Magnolia and they were due to meet up with the Boscans any time now. Erzza had even talked with both Kaleb, the leader of the force, and Thane his aid a few times now. They were close to Onibus now and Erza suddenly jerked her head up, Elfman stilled too.

"Fighting." Erza said a little too enthusiastically. They started toward it at a quick pace.

She'd been sullen since Laxus' team had left, strongly feeling she should have been with them but the Master had held firm, wanting her to wait to join up with the Boscans and help with the reclaiming being done.

She had accepted his decision, she tried to adhere to the chain of command and accept the Masters orders as well as she could but it had been difficult letting Bickslow leave that day.

She hadn't expected to enjoy the mans attentions as much as she had. Her legs had been weak the rest of the day too, something she'd managed to keep hidden by sticking to her room and only coming down for dinner when she thought most everyone had already called it a night.

Cana had caught her, of course, because Erzas luck always seemed to run that way. The card mage had smiled knowingly at her and Erza had accepted the inevitable teasing pretty well.

"Was he good? Come on, I know Bixy, he's fucking incredible in bed." Cana had grinned and Erza had become irritated, she didn't like that Cana had slept with Bickslow and knew him that way suddenly, even though earlier it had been Canas certain knowledge of the Seith mages abilities and likely willingness to indulge her that had spurred Erza to do what she had in the first place.

She didn't regret it either, at first anyway. It had worn her out in a very satisfying way, and Cana hadn't been wrong at all, Bickslow had led her through some mind blowing delights in the few hours she'd had him. He'd even made her smile, laugh a few times.

Even naked and in a womans arms he was playful, had sharp witty little comments to make her blush and smile. He'd been unafraid of her too, most men cowered when Erza showed them interest, intimidated by her, but not Bickslow.

"I'm a thrill seeker Red, and you're the biggest thrill I've ever met." He'd grinned at her when she'd asked if she intimidated him. She'd dropped the subject, focusing on getting every moment of pleasure, comfort, she could while she had him and he'd given it generously too.

The last hour had been spent laying on her bed, kissing, cuddling, there had been moments where their slowly moving hands had drifted to draw a gasp or a soft moan, but for the most part, the last hour she'd had him with her, they had just…well, she wasn't sure what it had been, it hadn't really been sex, though they were both still naked, whatever it had been, Erza had enjoyed it about as much as the heated, panting wild a mind blowing parts that had preceded it.

She doubted it meant much to Bickslow, but it had meant more to her than she had expected it to. First, that she could in fact reach and orgasm while having sex with a man. Something she had wondered and sort of worried about. Her one time with Jellal had been pleasant, but more emotionally thrilling than physically if she was really honest.

She'd expected more passion, but he'd been almost methodical, cautious and slow and when he'd come she'd been glad he had but left wondering how it had ended with her barely even warmed up.

It hadn't been like that with Bickslow at all though, and maybe that was because the Seith was so experienced, but while he'd taken time "pleasant" wasn't a word she could use at all for the couple of heated rounds of sex they'd had.

Hot, passionate, rough, wild, mind blowing body raking, that described it better. So much pleasure too, the books she read barely did the reality justice and she wondered, what would it be like to share that with someone you loved? Was that what Lucy felt with Cobra? Wendy with Cristoff?

She wanted to talk to her guild sisters, see them again. Cana helped but Cana got too wrapped up in the physical side of everything, was more interested in how many Orgasms were had.

Three in four hours certainly had shaken her world pretty nicely Erza smiled. Walking quickly along behind Elfman, Cana close behind her.

When they crested the small rise in the road leading into Onibus the scene was overwhelming.

Retreating forces from Seven had clearly come against the Boscan forces, the problem the Sevenese had was that these Boscan forces were not regular military, they were a combination of mages from independent Boscan guilds and the Boscan Knights. Erza was grinning, and took off running to the battle while Cana and Elfman exchanged a quick look before following her.

Erza dove right into the fray, carefully gauging things as she went so she could discern friend from foe. Sevenese were mostly in uniforms of their homeland, those that weren't were clad in dark clothes. The mages and knights fighting them though wore more obvious colors.

She recognized the white and blue of White Sea, the Orange and purple of Helio, a Boscan guild that was headquartered not far from the border to Fiore, and then the Knights in their black gold and silver with the crest of the order amblazoned boldly on chest plates, shields and cloaks.

She also smiled when she recognized roars undoubtedly coming from the twin slayers from Sabertooth. First one of light, then a few moments later one of shadow. The next one though brought Natsu to mind as churning white flames wreathed in blinding light tore through a group of Sevenese.

Unlike the roars from the twins, this one held nothing back, leaving ash, dust, few remains of the soldiers it hit. It was a dragon slayers roar, Erza would bet on that, but the slayer had no reservations about killing people like the twins did.

It had to be Bickslows sister, Emzadi.

Erza was cutting her way through, Elfman sending people flying, Cana blowing holes in things with exploding cards and as she settled into the rhythm of the battle she felt almost peaceful.

She'd leveled a group, and was digging through another, not noticing after a while things were quieter until she took down the last opponent before her and sensing someone coming behind her whirled, sword angling for a neat slice across a chest only to slam to a halt against another, larger, gleaming white metal blade.

She blinked, recognized blue and white just as Cana yelled "Erza! No!"

Taking a step back her sword slid over the other, small sparks flying and she recognized the man she'd been talking to the last few days smiling at her.

"Erza Scarlett, glad you finally caught up with us." He said, his lilting Boscan accent seeming more prominent when not coming through a lacrima.

"Master Kaleb, yes…I apologize for crossing swords on you." He said, quickly sheathing hers.

"No worries, and these are…" He looked over at Cana and Elfman, who, through it all had stayed on Erzas flanks.

"Cana Alberona and Elfman Straus, the others will join us outside of Magnolia." Erza said and Kaleb nodded, glancing to the men approaching from his left.

"They're finished Master, what would you like to do now?" He was asked.

Kaleb lifted his eyes to the sky a moment "About 4 and a half hours of daylight left, we march for Magnolia, get everyone moving immediately." He said firmly. The men bowed, even the two knights who had just come up and whirled to see the mans will carried through.

"That would put us there at night." Erza frowned slightly. "I thought the Hell creatures in Magnolia were more dangerous at night." She said.

Kaleb smiled, starting to move, his people coming from many directions and falling in stride with him while Erza Cana and Elfman did as well.

"Not more dangerous, just more active. They are weakened by light, but not enough to make them less deadly. No, I want them out in the open, they are easier to find and destroy when they are not lurking in shadowy crevices, they will come out, attack at night without hesitation, it's the best way to hunt them." He told her.

Erza nodded, smiling darkly in spite of herself. She preferred an open assault, take the enemy on straight away instead of creeping about.

They marched quickly, Erza impressed by the forces that seemed unfazed about going from a pitched battle immediately into moving swiftly toward the next with no pause or rest.

In spite of it, the people she saw looked strong.

"Erza." She glanced over and saw Sting Eucliffe come up beside her. The young master of Sabertooth grinned at her, he looked tired, his usually well kept attire a little frayed, dirty, but he looked no different than most of the others.

Even the tall Master walking on her other sides white cloak was dirty, torn in a few places, showing the wear of battle and travel.

"How is Orga Master Sting?" She asked and Sting smiled faintly at her formal tone. "Recovering, pissed off he's not in the middle of shit like he prefers to be. Our Guild Hall is close to Crocus so he's been staying there at a house the guild owns. All in all, we've been pretty lucky as a guild through all of this. I was sorry to hear about Magnolia." He said honestly.

"Thank you, we will rebuild, as we did after Tartaros, many of your people have already offered to assist us once we take Magnolia back Master Kaleb." She said, turning her attention back to White Seas master, who turned his attention back to her when she said his name. That he had been exchanging smiles with Cana didn't escape Erzas notice and she frowned at Cana.

It was not appropriate for the woman to be flirting with a visiting Guild Master from another country that was there to help them.

"I've been informed. We've already been given orders to remain here until Magnolia and Hargeon are well underway to being rebuilt, though I might have to return sooner than most of my people to see to duties elsewhere, Bosco does not plan to stop at just driving Seven back to their own borders this time." He said darkly.

Erza smiled, nodding, she was very much behind that idea.

They reached Magnolia close to sundown, and Erza enthusiastically rushed ahead spotting a group of familiar mages coming to join them.

Lucy waved enthusiastically and Erza hugged her happily, nearly wrenching Wendy off her feet a moment later as Laxus grasped Kalebs hand, breathing a sigh of relief seeing the large force behind the man.

They had arrived barely an hour earlier, and had circled the hills surrounding the city. That there were Hell creatures of every variety lurking about the streets of Magnolia there was no doubt. So they had remained quiet and kept their distance waiting for the Boscan forces to arrive.

The good news was Magnolia didn't look as bad as they had expected it to. The fires were out now, and yes, the devastation was bad, but it wasn't complete. If Laxus had to guess he'd bet it was on par with how things had looked after Tartaros.

That in itself was sad, since the rebuilding from Tartaros hadn't even been completed yet, but Wendy had pretty joyously pointed out the area where her house was didn't look terrible, which also meant Bickslows house might have survived. Lucy had outright cried when she'd seen Fairybrook Lane didn't look wiped out either. The fires and smoke had made it look so much worse.

It didn't change the fact that evil dark creatures prowled the streets, no doubt invaded buildings during the day.

Fairy Tails rubble looked largely undisturbed too, which was also cause for relief.

Bickslow hugged his brother, Cristoff doing the same, getting his hair ruffled by the platinum haired Guild Master too "Yours is getting near as long as mine." He observed. Cristoff nodded toward Wendy who was smiling shyly behind him, "She won't let me cut it, likes it long."

Kaleb grinned, stepping past his brother to lift Wendy right off her feet, a move that surprised everyone that wasn't Boscan.

"I'm so happy to meet you my sister." He said, placing her back on the ground and smiling at her for another moment before glancing at Cristoff "I can already tell you don't deserve her." He snorted, kissing Wendys forehead before turning back to Laxus, humor still in his pale eyes.

The men discussed how they were going to move forward, Laxus taken aback by Kalebs insistence fighting at night was best. He wasn't used to people preferring that, giving evil things the advantage of the darkness they craved.

Cana hugged Lucy and watched with a smirk, nudging the blonde when Erza smiled at Bickslow and blushed when he returned it before turning her attention fully to the battle plans being formed.

She had to admit though, sexy as Bickslow and Cristoff were, in her eyes, their brother had them beat. The exotic look Bix and Cristoff both rocked so well was amplified in Kaleb. Instead of the usual dark hair of a Boscan, Kalebs hair was a nearly white platinum blonde and hung down past his shoulders to his middle back. He had the top pulled back in a silver band so it was out of his face.

He was handsome, on par with all of the good looking men before her at the moment, with the added edge of eyes that were breath taking. Pale, lavender colored with a dark purple ring around the outside edge of lavender he had the same thick lashes as his brothers, the same easy smile and was built much like Cristoff, tall, powerful, broad shouldered. The heavy white cloak hid his body too well for her to really see, but by the way he moved, she was willing to bet he could compete with Laxus, Gajeel and Cristoff.

"Ok…send word to move into the city, we're taking it from this edge to the other, I want every building checked, standard light saturation everywhere, I don't want a hellseed the size of a mouse escaping notice. Clear?" Nods from the assembled leaders and Fairy Tails mages fell in with Kalebs group as the they moved to retake Magnolia.

Xoxoxooxoxoxo

The process of retaking a fallen city from enemy occupation was never a simple thing, retaking it when it was infested with undead beings from hell? That process took nearly two weeks. Near the end of that time frame though, Laxus, seeing what was happening, that rooting out every little evil thing was near impossible, cast Fairy Law.

It wasn't something he did lightly, but at Makarovs urging, he stood near the rubble of the Guild Hall and cast Fairy Tails most powerful spell.

Kaleb and the mages from Bosco were in awe, the Fairy Tail mages felt the light wash over them like a gentle caress and no creature of darkness was left when the light had washed over the city to fade into the pale light of the cold November day.

Since the rail lines had been left intact by the enemy so they could transport their own supplies, the first train into Magnolia came the day after Laxus cast Fairy Law and hard searches hadn't turned up any trace of any dark magics anywhere.

Lucy stood with Cobra inside their home.

They would need to repair some things, a new roof was called for, Lucys fish pond was no more, or at least the koi in it were gone. But it still stood. Wendy and Cristoffs house had also made it, needing only a few minor repairs to make it livable again, nothing evil had decided to nest in it, which had happened to some places that had to be demolished, foundations cleansed before they could be rebuilt.

Bickslows house had burned, not all the way down, but enough that it would have to be almost completely torn down and rebuilt. Laxus' house was just…gone. The foundation had even been shattered by some spell or something that had blown a hole through the patch of woods the home had been nestled in.

Fairy Hills had become a nest for dark things and it had to be torn down, cleansed and rebuilt. Strawberry Lane was relatively untouched, Canas apartment (formerly Lucys) pretty much how she had left it.

Reaching a deal with Blue Pegasus and their Master Bob, the HIghmountain Resort would serve as the temporary home for Blue Pegasus while Clover Town and their guild facilities were rebuilt.

Makarov returned to find Magnolia bustling with activity. Citizens were being allowed to return and supplies from the Capital and outlying areas that had not been effected by the invasion came in.

Bickslow and Laxus temporarily moved in with Wendy and Cristoff, beyond relieved to have beds to sleep in and a normal roof over their heads.

Slowly, everyone returned, and living situations had to be sorted out. Erza moved in with Lucy and Cobra, something Cobra was none too thrilled about, but he couldn't deny the fact there were not a lot of options.

Levy and Gajeel took Charles room in Wendy and Cristoffs house and never had the couple been more happy they owned a large house or that their master suite was on the first floor while all the other rooms were upstairs.

At dawn each day most everyone went to the Guild, participating in rebuilding their home away from home. Around Lunch Makarov would start shooing people away to go work on their own homes, so Bickslow and Laxus would go to his house, thankfully with a couple of the mages from White Sea, who were remaining through the first parts of rebuilding. Gajeel and Levy would head to the patch of land that had once been Gajeels house with Lily and some other helpers and Cristoff and Wendy would alternate, spending first one day helping Bix and Laxus, then the next with Levy and Gajeel.

Cana was working purely at the Guild hall. For one thing her apartment had survived, she even had Emma moved in with her for the time being, for another. The Guild Master of White Sea, Mr Tall Blonde and heart stopping had made the Guild Hall his base during the day and, the man wasn't afraid of hard labor.

One of the Card mages favorite pass times was watching men, and the first time Master Kaleb tossed his cloak aside, removed his crisp white vest and dug into helping building framework for the new Guild Hall, Cana knew where she wanted to be.

Now, while she was sanding some wood that was going into the rebuild of the bar, she got to watch as Kaleb, in some worn jeans you wouldn't expect a guild master to even own let alone to have brought on a campaign and one of Cristoffs black t-shirts stretched just as nicely over him as it ever did over his brother.

She got to catch Erza, who swore she wasn't, didn't and would never, standing with large eyes watching a certain Seith mage who was sawing some wood down also in some snug jeans work boots and a wine colored shirt, also collected from Cristoff who hadn't lost everything to fire like Bickslow pretty much had.

Their father was sending things, and supplies kept coming on every train but Magnolia was only one of several cities that had been badly damaged.

Still a few of the Cafes had opened again, the grocery store was open again, and a few other places in the market district too. Fairy Tail had walls a roof and they were doing finishing work on it getting the flooring done today, hoping to open it in another week.

Kaleb stood up and stretched from where he'd been laying down flooring and Bickslow tossed him another piece "No breaks! You been sitting in a cushy office too much." The Seith grinned.

Kaleb laughed "Well, I run a guild you jackass, and it's not a small one either."

"Pfft, you sit in a mansion in a study and do paperwork all day." Bickslow returned, sawing down some more slats for the floor.

"I sit in my OFFICE and I live in the same chambers as every guildmaster before me has for over 400 years Bixy." Kaleb replied, sitting back on his haunches and twisting so Bickslow could toss him more boards.

Cana almost screamed when a cool hand touched her back and jerked her head to see Mira smirking at her, looking over to Kaleb then back at her. "Interested in the young Master Cana?" She teased.

Cana narrowed her eyes, if anyone in Fairy Tail ever challenged Cana on her hunger for men, fun, sex etc, it was Mira.

"I think he's the hottest of the three." Cana said quietly.

"You are interested in our Master?" A voice lightly accented came from the other end of the bar they were working on putting together and Cana and Mira both eeped in surprise.

The young woman was the one Thane, Kalebs aid, called "Gaza" She was a senior mage in White Sea, high ranked. She was smirking at the two Fairy Tail women knowingly.

"If she was?" Mira asked.

Gaza glanced toward her Master then back at the women "You Fiorans…ask him, he is unpromised, I've never had him myself, I always favored Cristoff, never had him either, too late now I guess. But the master, he is a mind reader, I always found that intimidating, so I've not pursued him, but really, if you want him, ask, he's not some Fioran who will worry about your meanings, sex is something Boscans do not expend stress over, it is a tool we use to rid ourselves of it. The Master has been working hard, this campaign has been taxing, I bet he'd be receptive, he likes brunettes too." Gaza chuckled.

Cana stared at her, then narrowed her eyes "You're playing a joke…" She said and the woman laughed, finishing setting up the section of the shelving she was working on and starting to go for more wood.

"No…I really would not set my Master up to be part of a joke my friend." She said shaking her head as she walked back through the doors.

Cana looked at Mira who shrugged and went back to helping Cana with piecing together the bar.

At the end of the day, the floor was done, Bickslow had gone home to work on his own house and Kaleb was talking with Makarov at a table he'd just finished assembling.

Makarov chatted with the much younger guild master for a while as Cana and Mira finished up assembling the long bar, they would stain it tomarrow.

Mira stood, sighing and wiping her face with a damp cloth, grinning because the sink was working, the plumbing had all been finished earlier in the day and Mira was still delighted by that. Gajeel and some of the other metal stilled mages had worked very hard on it.

Mira tossed one to Cana "I'm going home, I'll see you tomarrow Cana." She called. The Straus home had been another one that hadn't been beyond repair, so it was now full of guests but none of the Straus siblings seemed to mind.

"Yeah, see you tomarrow Mira." She waved and used the cool cloth to clean sawdust and sweat from her face and chest. It was cold outside, but the Guilds fireplaces had been finished and were working just fine keeping the nearly finished hall warm.

She stole another look at Kaleb and found him alone, sitting back in one of the new chairs, Makarov had vanished, leaving the young guild master to himself and he seemed to be resting a bit before heading out.

He really was, in Canas opinion, the finest of the three brothers, and considering Bickslow and Cristoff were both handsome men in their own rights, that was saying something.

He seemed deep in thought, running a thumb over his lower lip absently while staring up toward the ceiling. When he dropped his hand she watched his tongue slid over the lip his thumb had been worrying and bit her own lower lip.

Gods, she wasn't hard to turn on but over just him running his tongue over his lip?

 _I need a man, I'm going nuts, if I don't get a good long hard fuck soon I'm going to wither and die I swear_. She almost laughed at the thought. She couldn't exactly go hunting either, everyone was working so hard rebuilding and right now, with Erza making eyes at Bickslow, something Cana was damn proud of, she wasn't going anywhere near the Seith mage, oh hell no, if Erza had finally decided to stop pining over Jellal Cana was going to fan the fuck out of that fire.

 _Gaza was messing with me though, it's never as simple as walking up and asking, how would I even do that…might be fun…Hey you with those sexy as hell eyes, how about you and I fuck until neither of us can walk_?

She almost snickered, yeah the direct approach had never worked, not even on fucking Bacchus and that man was a clean cut proud as hell man whore that never said no.

Kaleb was a Guild Master, a wizard saint even in his country, he wasn't likely looking for some little local girl to mess up his plans while he was in Magnolia, working that sexy ass off helping their guild.

Men like him you did not walk up to and just ask, Cana wasn't even S-class yet, something that still annoyed the fuck out of her. She wasn't sure she even stood a chance, maybe one of his underlings, but the Guild Master of White Sea? Yeah, shooting a little high.

"You don't give yourself enough credit, really." Cana started, looking wide eyed from the cloth she was fiddling with to find the man in question leaning on the bar right next to her.

Fuck…mind reader! She winced.

"I am, usually I don't intrude on people but you, you seem so much bolder than most of the Fioran women I've met, I was curious, I'm glad I was." She was just about struck dumb when those pale eyes met hers, the color was so…unusual…

"Not my original color so I'm not as exotic as it seems, before I stepped into the Fountain of Immaculate Light I had hair as black as Cristoffs and dark purple eyes, 3 days in the light to test my conviction and I came out like I am now." He told her.

She smiled "I see why Gaza gets intimidated." She said. He smiled, looking down at the surface of the bar and, blushing faintly? Oh sweet Mavis…

"So I'm jumping, common for me, I don't tend to look before I leap…" She began, the pale eyes met hers again and his smile was less innocent.

"Yes. To what you've been wanting, with me…I say yes…" He told her

Canas eyes widened did he mean….no…no way…she never ever got lucky this way…

He reached out and pulled the ponytail holder from her hair, letting it fall in dark waves around her shoulders and he slid his fingers through it, pulling her closer as he leaned toward her and kissed her.

Gods did he kiss her.

Warm firm lips just ravished hers while his hand idly pushed into her hair to the back of her head where a finger slid down to glide over the skin at the base of her hairline.

Cana loved kissing, loved it, a lot of the men she was with, they just wanted what she did, a quick hassle free fuck and usually they didn't care for the tender things. Bickslow was an odd exception to that, but then, she realized, this was Bickslows brother, both men raised born and raised Boscans from the same family.

The country seemed to produce fantastic lovers, or at least that family sure seemed to. Not that she knew that about Kaleb, right now all she knew was the man could ring almost every bell she had with his lips alone and for her, until tongue started getting involved, bells didn't even wiggle.

When he pulled back she was dazed and Cana was never dazed by men, certainly not from a kiss that didn't even involve a tongue being down her throat.

"Normally, I would be asking if you wanted to go somewhere for some privacy…" Cana breathed, having trouble concentrating with long fingers still moving softy over the skin on the back of her neck.

She was reacting like some damn virgin, what the hell?

"You've inevitably got a guildmate living with you if your home survived, everyone does right now he observed.

"Emma, yeah, and my place is kinda small. So, it would be tough not to uh…disturb her." Cana said unhappily.

Was this seriously happening? She had a hot man, tall, built like a beast, Gods everything she had ever dreamed of as far as looks were concerned interested in her and she had nowhere….there were people camping everywhere right now while homes were rebuilt, privacy, hidden spots, were pretty much in use by people just surviving until they could resume their normal lives.

Kaleb leaned in again and ended her frantic mental search for somewhere to go with him, kissing her, all the sensation, all the body wide thrill, the heat burning in her lower belly, yep, bells, ringing, so many her brain wouldn't work.

She was almost shaking and all they had done was kiss, His lips were firm against hers, silken smooth though, and worked hers, first her lower lip, then she caught his and was rewarded with a soft hum of approval from him, his other hand catching her hip, turning her fully toward him so an arm could slide around her and fit her wonderfully against his tall hard body.

She'd been held and kissed before, she really had, in fact, Kalebs own brother had done things like this with her, but there hadn't been long hair like silk to tangle her hands in, and when she got hungry, tried to push speed, desperation into it, Bickslow would respond, adjusting to her, Kaleb didn't, forcing her to soften again with firm, guiding insistence, rewarding her when she relaxed with just a little more, his lips parting over hers, tongue sliding over her lip before he would switch angle, not quite letting her take the depth she wanted.

It wasn't until he was setting her back on her feet that she even realized she'd left them in the first place. Blinking she glanced around momentarily, realizing there wasn't much light. A single lamp beside a wide plush mattress.

"My quarters until I leave." Kaleb told her.

"You…" She breathed, he was staying in the guild? Of course he was, Makarov was too, sleeping in his office, the plumbing was working, the back rooms including the masters office and two of the dry storage rooms had been the first things finished as they worked their way forward through the hall.

It made sense, Kaleb had based himself here to assure all of the Boscans would focus here, something he had done for his brothers and their Fairy Tail family. So the Master had given him quarters right at the guild to make that easier, no wonder he hadn't left sooner.

He pulled her to the bed, laid her back on it shedding the black t-shirt before he joined her and Canas breath caught.

Boscan people were all blessed with a skin tone that looked like they lived on the beach, so Kalebs skin was a rich tawny tan and he bore the tattoos Boscans seemed to all have various forms of. His clan symbols ran down the back of his right shoulder, down his back disappearing into the jeans he still had on, Bickslow and Cristoff bore wolves, since their clan had valued them, Kaleb though had a fox on his shoulder.

Holy runes, intricate and complex enough they would have given Freed a nose bleed ran down his right arm to his elbow. He bore the same cross as Cristoff over his left pectoral, though his was surrounded by more runes that ran along with sweeping Clan marks down his torso, over delicious sculpted abs to disappear beneath the waistline of his jeans.

All of them, except a few colored ones, were white instead of black. Cana ran her fingers over them in amazement "I've never seen…" she breathed and he kissed her forehead since she was so preoccupied with looking down his body.

"The ones I had when I was bathed in light turned white, the ones with colors in them I got later." He told her and smiled when she barely reacted to him removing her little bikini top, she was so engrossed in exploring his chest, arms, abdomen.

He didn't press her, his hands idly drifting over her shoulders, playing with her hair, sliding over her neck, she loved the feel of his touch too, while it brought heat wherever he touched, he had a soothing way about him, maybe it was his powerful air of confidence, of calm certainty He wasn't the kind of man that seemed to doubt many things.

His soft smile that never seemed to fall from his lips, like Bickslow, something seemed to endlessly be amusing him.

When she finally brought her eyes back up to him, realizing she was kneeling on his bed topless just staring and running her fingers over his tattoos instead of all the things she'd been wanting to do with him since she'd first laid eyes on him.

He kissed her again, sending her adrift in that once more though this time her hands had smooth skin to move over, broad shoulders to grasp. This time the kiss wasn't so innocent, when she parted her lips she moaned when his tongue accepted the invitation and the slow burning heat that had been rising in her flared up because the soft, slow gentleness was gone in an instant.

Her pants were undone and she gasped when she felt long fingers beneath them, sliding over her center with practiced precision that told her a great deal very quickly. She was skilled, was proud of all she knew about enjoying a mans body, being able to get him to come apart, lose control. She had just met her match.

He got her pants down her legs and laid her all the way back so he could remove them and her panties from her, eyes never leaving hers, then one side of his mouth quirked because Cana had just been laying back, watching him knee above her as he tossed her clothes aside and she'd had this delicious little image of him slowly stripping away the last of his own clothes and had forgotten, he could see her thoughts.

Mouth dropping open, brain skipping sometimes forgetting to breathe, she watched him slow, smile, watch her while he did every move she'd just fantasized, down to rolling his hips as he slid his jeans down until his erection was free. Once it was he stretched his arms up, following her minds desires, pushing his hands into his own hair while she slid her eyes up and down his body.

Rubbing her thighs together she moaned softly "Gods help me…." She whispered moving to get her fingers on him, she had to touch him, taste him, in that moment as he acted out what her mind wanted most he'd seemed to just become unreal to her.

Getting her mouth on his firm erection, her hands on his hard body brought him from fantasy back to her glorious reality.

The velvet smoothness of his skin under her tongue, how he reacted, moving his body into her touches and his deep masculine moan was driving her insane. He moved so she could shove the last of his clothes away, reaching back since he was still kneeling to pull them finally from his legs and toss them aside as she was making him clench his teeth with her enthusiastic enjoyment of his body.

Cana was learning now, something that would probably ruin her for any man from this point on, what sex with a mind reader was, especially one who had no reservations, no shyness, would react to her desires, fantasies as they floated into her head so that no moment with him didn't give her everything she wanted.

He pulled her up though, Kaleb never had been one to take pleasure and not give more than he got, he'd been raised to believe firmly women deserved more and this one, she was a tangle of contradictions, wanting her pleasure, determined to get it, but at the same time somewhat convinced she had to work hard for it.

"Tell me what you want most." He whispered against her lips and she leaned into the kiss hungrily, enjoying being held, caressed. It came to him then, from deep inside, buried under a jumble of random little kinks, she wanted to be held, wanted to be made love to, long and slow and burning and Kaleb smiled slightly, pushing her back on her back and trapping her there while he kissed over her neck, shoulders, down between her breasts then languished at her breasts because she loved it, on hand idly toying with her core, not trying to elevate anything, just maintaining a steady slow burn.

He hadn't expected this woman, so brazen on the surface, to be so lacking in confidence under the surface perversion was a woman who really, bad wanted to be adored. She loved sex, that was clear, but slow, sweet tenderness was something she craved on a deeper level, and so that was what Kaleb wanted to give her.

He didn't know her, had just been around her for a short time now, but he'd caught her thoughts here and there, they usually made him laugh, especially the perverted ones about him, his brothers, Laxus, Gajeel.

She was odd that way, she almost craved the men who were in loving happy relationships more than those who weren't and to Kaleb, it was clear, her desire to be loved, to be handled tenderly, was why. She saw the tenderness they showed the women they loved and craved it for herself.

This was why Cristoff appealed to her so much, he'd caught that, Cristoff had mentioned his concern about it too, asked Kaleb to "listen in a little and see if she's still…thinking about me." Cristoff had said.

So Kaleb had, and she was, but now he knew why. Cristoff was an affectionate man, his healing abilities had grown a deep talent in empathy in him and now that he had a wife, a mate, he lavished that affection on her generously. Wendy thrived under it, and Kaleb loved his new sister.

Had he found some unhealthy thing happening with Cana he would have spoken to Makarov about it, but there was nothing wrong with Cana some attentive male attention couldn't help, he would be in Magnolia for a while yet, if he was careful, because he wasn't really seeking anything long term, he was certain he would enjoy spending time with this woman, and he could make sure she got all she wanted from him in the process.

She found him attractive, if her thoughts were any indication she definitely enjoyed his body.

There just weren't women like this in Bosco, Boscan women were raised with care, the society in Bosco, the culture, held them up and valued them equally with men. So women who craved affection, felt undeserving of it, felt unworthy, were uncommon. But in Fiore, he'd met many. Cana was one of them, the fiery red haired knight, Erza was another. Men afraid to approach her, the one she had loved leading her on, using her then dropping her.

Certainly things like that could happen anywhere, but not a beautiful woman like Cana unable to attract decent men, or another beaty like Erza intimidating men? Even his sister Emzadi, who had outright killed two men who had tried to become her mate didn't intimidate Boscan men.

He didn't think Boscan men were braver than Fiorans, his brother had been in Fiore for a long time, and he'd met some of his friends, Laxus, Freed, Cobra all were good brave strong men, so it puzzled him why intimidation was an issue.

But he'd heard Erzas thoughts, relayed some of them to his brother, since he was so interested in the woman.

Cana though, none of the men thought terribly highly of her, she was seen as "loose" mentally categorized as a whore by several of her own guildmates, all because she knew what she wanted and tried to get it, wanted to enjoy her body. Canas issues simply never would have happened in Bosco, there her strong libido would be seen as normal. Only her lack of confidence would set her apart and he doubted that would last if she came to Bosco.

He nibbled at her hip dropping to kiss her thigh, testing her to see if…yes…he smiled, pushing her thighs apart and burying himself between them, his tongue gliding firmly up her center.

Some women weren't so into this, she wanted it but few men ever gave it to her. He smiled as he applied himself to the task aggressively, he had his brother to compete with, damn Bickslow and his tongue, he'd always been crazy with the thing.

Kaleb had his advantage though, Cana unwittingly telling him what she wanted and him being able to hear the thoughts, he didn't need her to speak, he just needed her to feel, to let what she was experiencing take over, and fortunately, she was doing just that.

He pushed her up, so tension through her body was stronger, heat built, need started getting urgent and he felt her reach for him just as her wants started changing and he was relieved because she was getting to him, had been, her soft noises, normally he could keep himself fairly calm but he was feeling this, unable to keep himself removed.

Cana was burning up, normal play wasn't going to cut it for her, not this time. He was too much, she wanted him, intimacy beyond this, needed his mouth on hers, needed to feel him. Usually she didn't care, just wanted her orgasm and then she'd be happy to get her partner off but she also hadn't been with anyone quite like him before.

Something about the way he touched her, so soft, right where she wanted, and now he was sliding into her arms, pale lavender eyes burning into hers, then his body was against hers, and he was teasing her, his hard erection sliding up and down along her heated center.

"Pl….Please…" She panted and he kissed her, Gods could he kiss.

He stopped teasing her though, easing himself into her and she moaned into his mouth, feeling him fill her, she wrapped her legs around him and his arms slid under her shoulders, hands going to the back of her head, he was holding himself up, his elbows down in the bed while he held her to him, deepened the kiss and started rolling his hips, strong deep thrusts while his tongue ran over hers and his fingers moved gently in her hair.

She'd never been held closer, more intimately, and it felt incredible. He held her firm, trusting harder into her and she threw her head back, ripping her mouth away for him so she could gasp "Yes! Gods!...Harder!" She begged, she couldn't take it anymore, the edge had been so close for too long and he pulled her against him again, trailing kisses behind her ear he slid an arm free, pulled her hip up and pounded into her and Canas breathing was reduced to ragged gasps, her fingers tangling in platinum hair until finally she lost control completely, gasping out "Ah!...Kaleb!" Before she just came undone.

Her body had been riding an edge for so long that when she finally tipped over the edge the waves of pleasure almost overwhelmed her, raked through her body and even made her arms and legs twitch.

She joked about fucking someone until she couldn't walk, but it had never happened, but as she came down from her orgasm she couldn't even feel her legs, everything was tingling, exhausted and her eyes widened, he was still hard inside her.

"That's right Sei Mida, we're not done…" He purred and Cana bit her lip and thanked every God she could think of….


	30. Chapter 30 Building and ReBuilding

A/N...eep...30 chapters and still so much to cover! Whyx...I have plans...wicked ones...It's my hobby. I do not own Fairy Tail, only the OCs in this tale. FT is the mastery of Hiro Mashima (Bows head in reverence) thank you sir for all the fun!

Now...Chapter 30 Building and ReBuilding, Enjoy...DESNA

xoxoxoxxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

When Cana woke it was one of her better mornings in several ways. She wasn't hung over, though her body ached almost everywhere. It was still early, another feat for her, and unlike most every other time she slept with someone, she didn't wake to an empty bed.

She was curled comfortably against Kalebs tall body, the blonde silently laying there, one arm around her, his free hand holding a lacrima tablet that was being fed information . When she opened her eyes and blinked curiously at it, his arm tightened around her.

"Thanes daily update and itinerary along with the latest on what our forces still in Fiore are doing and how things are advancing with the assault on Seven. It seems I am, thanks to my Father and older brother, still not being called to Seven." Kaleb told her softly, kissing her forehead.

She smiled faintly, glancing at the itinerary she could see he'd already missed a meeting, had he overslept?

"No, but you're still responsible. The only times I've ever left a woman to wake up alone was after we had agreed that was necessary. You kept me so distracted last night I never even thought to talk to you about how much I had to do today or ask if you wanted to join me. So, I waited for you to wake." He told her.

She smiled "I'm a big girl Kaleb, you could have gone, I'd understand." She said, though she was pleased he'd thought that much about how she would feel to blow off his responsibilities and stay with her. Chalk another thing off to how he differed from her usual one night stands.

The idea, categorizing him as a one night stand actually hurt, she hoped he wasn't, hoped that somehow she'd given him even some measure of all he'd given her, she knew she'd taken way more out of last night than she ever had with any man before, it was just he didn't give her opportunities to think.

"No, because I don't want this to be a one night stand any more than you do." He moved then, shifting her so she laid on top of him, the tablet tossed aside and those pale eyes focused on her.

"I cannot make many promises, I could be called to take my people to make sure a heel is adequately ground into the neck of Seven at any time and I would have to leave, but, I would very much like to spend time with you, and would greatly enjoy…so much more of this…." His hands slid down her body to cup her ass and shift her better over him and she closed her eyes immediately grinding herself against him wantonly.

"Mmm, I want more too, though I can barely feel my damn legs because of all you did last night, there's a guild hall to finish you know." She pointed out, even though she wanted nothing more than to keep herself firmly planted in Kalebs bed.

He smiled, leaning up to kiss her neck while his hands slid up her body and into her hair. "Then you need a hot bath, breakfast…and then we both can get back to work here. They finished the gym area yesterday you know, locker rooms, showers, and the mens and womens hot baths." He was kissing her then, and her mind stuttered, she could lose herself completely in this mans kisses.

"So you're staying here at the guild today?" She asked when he pulled back for a breath.

"Until lunch, then I'm meeting with your Master and my seconds and we're touring Magnolia to assess progress, see if some of our maker mages can be sent on to other areas yet." He replied, lips back to her neck, collarbone, generally distracting her.

"But, I would like it if we could at least share some mealtimes, Thane leaves those open for me to use as I will. So…Lunch?" He asked.

She pouted "Not breakfast huh?"

He grinned "I wasn't giving you a choice for breakfast today, as soon as you're dressed you're mine until 9."

That made her happy.

"Ok, I have some spare clothes with me in my bag, I've been through rebuilding the Guild Hall sadly a few times now so I come prepared." She told him.

"I'm glad you do, allright, up, if you stay on top of me I'll make you and I both late to everything for the rest of the day." He smirked and she returned it "See, you think that's a threat? Honey I wouldn't mind that at all…" She responded.

A soft growl followed by him flipping her onto her back so fast she squealed and she was laughing then, being both tickled and kissed at the same time until she finally wriggled free laughing and staggering on wobbly legs.

She teetered and fell and he caught her, pulling her so she fell across the bed instead of onto the hard floor.

He was smiling down at her then, leaning over her with a devilish look "You wanted to be fucked until you couldn't walk right, I distinctly remember you saying so more than once." He pointed out.

She laughed "Yeah but I didn't think it was possible! I just thought you said that when you wanted a good night full of sex!"

He palmed her breast, bending and kissing its peak. "I'll do it again if you ask for it again, fair warning. Hot bath woman, and move more carefully, I'm not allowed in the womens bath because your country doesn't believe in open baths for both genders sadly enough."

Cana grinned "They have open baths in Bosco?" She asked. He smirked "All of the baths are open to both genders in Bosco Cana." He replied.

She smiled, she liked the way her name sounded when he said it, "I seriously need to visit Bosco." She decided.

"When things settle here, you should, I'll gladly be your guide." He responded and she pulled him down for one more kiss before she got to her feet, took up her bag, which had at some point found its way into his room, she was betting his aid had done that but didn't really care.

After the hot bath, which really did help a lot, she emerged in jeans and a tank top, a shrug jacket over that because November was starting to mean business and there was snow dusting Magnolia that had actually survived through the sunrise because of how cold it was.

She found Kaleb by the bar, talking to Mira who already had the stain on it and was smiling at her way too knowingly when she came up beside Kaleb.

She had a split second to make a choice. Mira and Kaleb were discussing what beers and wines she would be able to get to stock the bar, they already had some, their basement storage rooms had been spared, the master had protected his private stock and a lot of the bars wines and kegs when he had collapsed the hall. So they weren't as bad off as they could have been.

Still, it would be a while before many of the breweries and vineyards got back on their feet.

When Mira looked at her, Cana had a moment to decide whether she wanted to hide, or be open about she and Kalebs change in status from acquaintances, to…lovers? She wasn't sure but she had delicious carnal knowledge about most every inch of the mans body and that counted for something.

Having always kept her trysts pretty much to herself as far as who and when, she made her choice as she reached Kaleb, sliding an arm around his waist, wondering how he would react, did he prefer to keep it a secret? She should have asked…

He turned into her though, an arm coming over and around her to pull her into him and when he kissed her forehead, Miras mouth fell open and that was that.

Kalebs familiar affectionate reaction had made them something, what that would be remained to be seen, but there would be no secrets about it, not with him reacting like he had in front of Mira.

"So Mira said that the Café you usually go to is open today, I think we can manage to grab something to eat and get back before Thane has a panic attack." He smiled down at her and she couldn't help but smile back.

"Grinders is open?" Cana demanded of Mira. The she-devil nodded "Yes I got my coffee there on my way in this morning since we aren't ready to open the guild yet." She raised the familiar looking to-go cup and Cana beamed "They have the best coffee in town. Come on handsome!" She tugged and Kaleb followed her, leaving Mira grinning behind them.

"Mira is our guilds self declared matchmaker you know, you could have ignored me or played that cooler if you didn't…ah…want anyone to know you slept with me." Cana told him when they had gotten seats inside the café.

Kaleb frowned setting her tall cup down before sliding into the booth next to her rather than across from her.

"Why would I care if anyone knew or not?" He asked and his genuine confusion over that made Cana smile.

"Well, Mira is going to start mapping out what our babies would look like…" She admitted.

Kalebs arm went around her, and he kissed her temple "They'd be beautiful, but I still don't see why it matters if anyone knows or not, we're adults, I don't really care who knows who I chose to share my bed with, I'm not ashamed of my choices." He spoke softly, right by her ear and she knew it wasn't to be secretive, it was just to be intimate, close to her, and she loved it, a shiver running through her as he continued. "Let Mira enjoy imagining what our children could look like. Only your opinion matters to me and since you put your arm around me first, I assume you don't mind Mira knowing we're spending time together."

"Cana!? Master Kaleb!" Cana looked up and met Lucys bright smile, Kaleb stood while Lucy slid into the booth across from them, Cobra wasn't far behind her carrying coffee cups.

It was uncanny to Cana how easily she found it to sit there, chatting with Lucy about the Guild Halls imminent re-opening.

The blonde looked at Kaleb after a short while "I heard White Sea is letting some of the Fairy Tail members go to Bosco on some sort of exchange or something? Bisca and Alzack said they were leaving after the Guild Hall is finished with Asuka is that right?" She asked.

Kaleb nodded "It was my fathers idea and your King approved it quickly, a lot of my people would like to stay here for extended periods to continue helping with the rebuilding, so Fairy Tail and White Sea have become sister guilds. Our Maker Mages and any others who choose can stay here, there is a great deal of money to be made and the need for people who can expedite reconstruction as well as makers can is far greater than the number of mages available anyway. So, for their stays to be monitored, with the Fioran Magic Council not functioning, a guild arrangement was needed. One the other hand of it, some of your mages here were hit hard by what happened and need time away. White Sea is the largest guild in Bosco, we have many branches, and our guilds city is beautiful, right by the Ocean and overlooking the Grass Sea as well, our Guild facilities have comfortable apartments for them and they can take some time to recover until they are ready to come home to Magnolia. Your Bisca and Alzack want that, I spoke with them at length about it. They plan to stay for at least 6 months, give Fiore time to settle back into more stability before they come back." He said.

Cana was as amazed as Lucy, she'd seen Kaleb talking a great deal with the Master, and had seen him talk with the Connell family too, had wondered about it. Setting something like what he told them was brilliant, especially since it would be a while before the King took time to rebuild Fiores Magic Council.

This way the mages from Bosco could work in Fiore and have Fairy Tail as a place to coordinate through. Cana was left thinking about it as the four mages walked back to the Guild, if Kalebs guild was now Fairy Tails sister, the two guilds linked, then…she shoved the thought line away hastily focusing on her friends.

Taps were installed, furniture brought in, Laxus' second floor was finished and Fairy Tail was ready to open its doors again the following week on schedule. Erza sat heavily in a chair in the outside café' area, brushing remnants of the days work from her coveralls.

Work would begin in earnest on Fairy Hills next, maker mages had already been getting things prepared and Redus had the plans all drafted. She liked staying with Lucy and Cobra, but wanted her own space and the couple needed their privacy. Luckily Wendy had been having her over a good bit to try and give Cobra and Lucy that, since Cobra was still a private person that still struggled with sharing space with anyone but his mate.

That had a bonus for Erza she hadn't expected too, Bicklsow was still living with Cristoff and Wendy. Gajeel and Levy had finished their home enough they had moved back into it with Lily and were finishing it up while living in it, but Bickslow and Laxus (and Emma who spent all of her free time with Laxus now that he had finally been able to set the second bite into her and they were just waiting for that to heal.

With a cranky Dragon Slayer who was much less patient than he usually was with Bickslow, Erzas presence had kept Bickslow distracted enough he wasn't deliberately goading Laxus, which meant fewer fried electronics and blown bulbs for Wendy and Cristoff to worry about when the lightning slayer would go after the Seith.

Because he was in the process of mating with Emma, Laxus had been forced to bow out of a lot of the work he would normally have been heavily involved in, and while that made him unhappy, he'd sworn he would claim Emma the first chance he got, wasn't going to make her wait anymore and didn't want to wait himself, so he'd taken the plunge.

Nobody held it against him, not a soul had a complaint about it, even Makarov had rolled his eyes every time Laxus started to apologize for being absent so much. "Just make me some great grandbabies!" He'd finally said and Laxus hadn't brought it up again turning all of his focus on Emma, who finally set her work aside too so she could give her dragon all of her attention.

It was funny to everyone that Cobra was worse still, from what Cristoff had done, than Laxus was and Laxus was in the process of mating. But Cobra had never been so…cuddly, as he was now and Lucy wasn't complaining at all about that. They still teased each other, none of their relationship had really changed beyond the fact that Cobra was never far from her and wouldn't hear of them staying late at the guild, no, he got his mate home at a decent hour every night because he tended to keep her up, and Lucy, if she was honest, had to admit she played her part in that, if he back off at all she pointed it out, would even pout a little, and that was all it took to get Cobra right back to herding her to their bedroom early every night.

"That can't be normal." Bickslow had stated when Erza had appeared again, having left the house because she didn't want to intrude on Lucy and Cobra. "Those two have been fucking like bunnies since you did whatever the hell you did…." He eyed Cristoff suspiciously and the Lunar Slayer shrugged.

"Hey, I did my part, I even checked him again to see if maybe there was some odd thing happening, nothing, he's normal, clearly very healthy. That's just where they balanced out. Lucy seems pretty happy and with all the strain everyone is under trying to get the city back together, hell, let them fuck like bunnies." Cristoff had laughed and Erza had taken a seat at the kitchen island beside Wendy without a word, just digging in helping Wendy slice apples for whatever Wendy was working on.

Erza was as likely to show up at the house without Cobra and Lucy obviously needing privacy. She'd come to enjoy it there. Even with a Cranky Dragon Slayer, Wendy and Cristoff were relaxing to be around and besides that, Bickslow would randomly hug her, place kisses on her temple, even kiss her lips lightly, something she knew was just him since he did it with Wendy too and Cristoff never seemed concerned about it.

That night though Laxus and Emma were at the guild, working on his office and the upstairs area that was pretty much his domain and the couple had stayed there a few times overnight since Laxus had gotten a small bedroom put off the office for when he needed to rest, he'd napped in his chair too many times and woke up with a stiff neck, Gramps had such a room off his office so damnit, Laxus was getting one too.

So it was just Cristoff, Wendy, Bickslow and Erza that night. She discovered Wendy was working on making some apple pies while Bickslow and Cristoff made dinner. With Erzas enthusiastic help six pies were lined up ready to bake by the time the men declared they were done and started filling plates.

Bickslow stood when dinner was done "I am so leaving you with dishes little bro, I want to get the last of the dry wall up, should be back before the pies are done though." He grinned and Cristoff rolled his eyes "Yeah whatever, movie starts at 9 with or without you." The Dragon Slayer warned.

"I'll help you Bickslow, I wouldn't want you to miss out on fresh pie." Erza stood and Wendy exchanged a glance with Cristoff both Erza and Bix missed.

"Really? You don't have to, I'm just finishing the rooms upstairs…but I guess…yeah…sure would help get it done quicker having an extra pair of hands, the babies can't spackle worth a damn." He chuckled, pushing a hand through his hair, he hadn't been able to fuss over his hair in a while, it had grown out a good bit and fell in dark blue and black layers over his eyes and reached around his collar in the back, it wasn't a bad look for him either, but as handsome as Bickslow was, he seemed to look good no matter what he did.

"Ok, so you two go get the drywall up, Cristoff and I will clean up and get the pies cooking, we'll have desert and watch a movie when you get back and Erza, you can stay in Charles room if you want, she's still helping with repairs in the exceed village and won't be back for a little while." Wendy said

Erza smiled, more than she meant to. A room across from Bickslows sounded very good, much better than the guest room at Lucys where she would stay up some knights sharpening her swords so she didn't have to listen to the couple…coupling.

The streets of Magnolia were looking more and more like a real city again, not everyone had returned, some choosing to live closer to the capital, disturbed too much by the last few months to consider returning to their old homes. Others though moved in, familiar families came back, like the owner of the candy shop, and the Wessermans who owned everyones favorite bakery.

With the help of craftsmen and women from Bosco, all of the cities were getting back on their feet slowly, and Erza couldn't help but smile looking around her at all of the construction, even as the sun was going down people were busy.

Snow crunching under their work boots she and Bickslow walked the couple of blocks to Bickslows house and she was impressed, the exterior was done, the brownstone restored to its former glory at least on the outside. The homes to either side of it much the same but she could hear work happening inside of them.

When they stepped inside she was pleasantly surprised it wasn't freezing, it was cold, but not frigid like it was outside.

"Central heating is set low since I'm not quite ready to move back in yet, warm enough spackle and shit dries though." Bickslow told her and they went upstairs. The house was so large and spacious, and she let her eyes trail over the kitchen, already sporting new appliances in stainless steel, the cabinets all in, white quartz counter tops offset by the dark wood cabinetry. He'd gone with a deep dark wood for all of the flooring this time, with carpeting only in the bedrooms.

"Ok, so, hanging sheetrock is pretty simple with me…" Bickslow was telling her, and Erza was about to remind him she had worked on her share of guild rebuilds and repairs when a section of sheetrock rose from the pile behind her and flew over putting itself in place. Bickslow smirked at her lifted up his screwdriver, shoving a fistful of screws into the pouch on his belt and started fixing the piece in place, she was tapped on the shoulder then and turned to find another piece floating behind her.

"So yeah, Papa will help you, he kinda likes you, and Pepe is helping me, if you need a tool or something just talk to the babies, they're good at bringing you things just be clear about what you want." He told her and Erza grabbed up some screws, a tool and followed Papa/sheetrock over to the wall.

They finished in very little time, not having to balance the sheets made the whole thing incredibly easy and Bickslows babies were as helpful as he'd said they would be, even though they played around a bit and Popo liked to hide in her hair.

She was sore, though she'd never admit that, so many weeks of stress, the fighting, hunting evil creatures, then the endless hard labor of rebuilding a guild hall along with sleepless nights.

She was homeless, knew she was, and while she had friends, she yearned for a place to call her own. Fairy Hills had started construction because the guild hall was nearly complete but it would be a month or more before she could even start thinking about claiming an apartment there.

It was stressful not having roots of her own.

She knew she'd been somewhat distracted by Bickslow, she couldn't get the Seith mage out of her mind, beyond the few hours they'd spent together because of the bet, she had come to realize he really was not afraid of her, could be very thoughtful when he wanted to be, and, treated her like she was a woman, not some a-sexual warrior like most of the guilds men did.

He made occasional comments, about her legs, her hair, normal things she'd heard men say to Lucy and Cana but never to her before and he probably had no idea but those things meant a lot to her, they made her feel…normal.

She would still occasionally back hand him, lunge at him when he got more pervy, but the fact he did that at all, in spite of her protests and seeming anger, made her feel flustered but not in a bad way.

Then there were the nights at Wendy and Cristoffs, the first time she went over Laxus and Emma flopped down on the loveseat, Cristoff and Wendy claimed an end of the Couch and Bickslow had sat at the other end, when Erza had come into the room with nowhere to sit unless it was by Bickslow, who had a leg propped up on the couch much like Cristoff did.

Then, stunning her, the Seith had reached out, grabbed her hand and pulled her to the couch beside him, sometime during the movie, tired, she had ended up leaning on him and then, hours later had awakened to find herself wrapped around the sleeping man, a blanket thrown over the both of them, room dark and the others long since off to bed.

She hadn't moved either, choosing to stay where she was, sliding her arms better around him laying her head in a good spot against his shoulder and going back to sleep.

She had been awakened again by soft talking and light streaming over her, she found herself still laying on top of Bickslow, who was sitting up a little better talking quietly with his brother who had started making breakfast for everyone.

She could feel his long fingers moving through her hair, combing through it and then braiding its length idly before gently sweeping back through to undo what he'd done only to start over.

"Just eggs and bacon man, proteins, you know this shit. We're going to be lifting heavy stuff and working all day, I got three dozen eggs and I think 5 pounds of bacon yesterday, they're in there. Trust me, hard as the Boss and Emma were going at it last night that mans gonna need some protein, you do too, can Wendy walk?" He had chuckled, the feeling under her cheek almost making her blush.

He felt so amazingly good, and he smelled good, and one hand was on her back rubbing idly while the other was playing with her hair and she could have stayed like that forever.

"You better stop fucking with her hair you'll wake her up." Cristoff warned. Bickslow was quiet for a moment but his hands didn't stop their soothing movements.

"Naw, she's comfortable, I make a great body pillow." He replied and she could almost HEAR his smirk.

"Yeah because your ass is lazily flying around on your babies more than walking so your soft." Cristoff snorted.

She felt Bickslow snicker "Yeah, I don't have troubles being soft around Erza, more the other way…" He said quietly and her cheeks had flamed then and she worried he'd notice her breathing catch.

'Careful man, Laxus said she's been through a lot but you have too, I mean, shit Bix, Cana treats you like a fucking booty call, I bet she has half the guild believing you're easy as hell and then you went along with that damn bet. Didn't exactly give the woman reason to want much more from you than your dick since she got that so easy." Cristoff said, his voice quiet, but tone serious.

Erza struggled not to stiffen, she did not think Bickslow was "easy" or a "booty call" maybe Cana did, Cana did honestly treat Bickslow like her personal pleasure toy at times, something Erza planned to put a stop to if she could because it was just wrong. But Erza herself didn't see him like that at all, she'd been shocked he hadn't rejected her.

She'd taken every moment he'd given her, but it hadn't left her thinking the man was less of a man. If anything, the way he'd treated her, been so good to her that day, had created a strong desire in her to get to know the man better.

"It's fine little bro, I'm not letting Cana do that anymore, besides, you've seen her drooling over Kaleb, with any luck she'll even forget about you." He said.

"There was never anything to forget." Cristoff retorted.

"Yeah, I seem to remember you showing up at my place because a drunk Wendy had been talked into letting Cana see and touch you naked and the womans been almost stalking your ass ever since." The Seith returned and Erza again reminded herself to stay quiet and relxed, when had THAT happened?!

"Wendy and I talked over all of that, she forgave me, I forgave her, I did have to remind her though, you know she was ready to kill the attendants during the wedding ceremonies, the random ones sent to wash us with Sea water before we consummated the vows." Cristoff said.

"Really? Yeah well, that shits not normal here in Fiore though bro, if they were women I could see her getting jealous, I was surprised she allowed the ones there to make sure you actually put your dick into her, hell that part even makes me a little uncomfortable." Bickslow chuckled.

"They left as soon as we started, did just what they were supposed to do, so she really had no reason, not they watched us all night or anything, besides…I made sure she forgot they were there…" Now Cristoff chuckled.

"Still, I give Cupcake props for being so good about it all, some of our customs are pretty far from what they do here in Fiore…." He was combing his fingers through her hair again and paused. "I wonder why Erza never really braids her hair, it's fucking gorgeous." He said and Erza was blushing again.

"Erza in general is gorgeous." Cristoff replied and she could smell bacon now, coffee brewing.

"Yeah she is…prettiest woman in the guild." Bickslow decided and Erzas heart about stopped.

"I disagree, I prefer a little bluenette with dark chocolate eyes." Cristoff said and Erza heard a sleepy giggle.

"Your biased, morning Cupcake." Bickslow said.

"Yeah? So are you, just be careful Bixy, I don't want to see you hurt again, you tend to fall in easy and hard with women then get hurt."Cristoff said "and you're too prone to letting women use you."

"Erza would never hurt Bickslow, Cristoff." Wendy said firmly and Erza was making a mental note to hug the young woman later.

"Not deliberately, still…Bix, you should wake her breakfast is almost ready." He said.

Bickslow didn't move "Naw, I'm fine, womans been working her fine little ass off, just bring me a plate and a cup of coffee, I'm enjoying being a pillow." He said lightly.

"I'm happy to hold her…" He whispered, freeing her hair from the latest braid he'd put into it.

"Do I look like a butler?" Cristoff snorted.

"Bring me a plate and some coffee and I'll send Papa to wake Laxus and Emma so you don't have to go up there." Bickslow said and a minute later Erza heard a plate being set onto the coffee table close to them and could smell the rich scent of the coffee.

Her stomach wasn't going to be denied much longer for the sake of how much she was enjoying laying in the Seith mages arms so Erza stirred, angling her head so she could blink sleepy eyes up at Bickslow who smiled.

"Morning kitten." He said quietly and she smiled "Kitten?" she raised a brow at him doubtfully and he smirked.

"Oh, you think I've forgotten seeing you in that kitten costume of yours?" He had teased and she'd narrowed her eyes, attempting a glare but just too relaxed, too happy being held to quite manage it.

"Here's some breakfast for you Erza." Wendy set down a plate next to the one she'd brought for Bickslow and a mug full of steaming tea.

Erza finally accepted she had to give up her spot laying on top of Bickslow and shifted blushing when he spread his legs to let her sit on the couch cushion but also trapping her between his long legs, one right over her lap.

He easily reached her plate and handed it to her with a grin and a few minutes later Laxus came groggily down the stairs followed closely by Emma.

It had been one of Erzas favorite mornings.

Sheetrock hung Bickslow was standing on Popo, checking a light fixture and Erza was frowning.

"You really should use a ladder." She said firmly, though the Seith was agile, and she knew he was an accomplished gymnast, seeing him standing on one foot atop a single totem made her nervous.

"Relax Kitten, I've done this a…shit!" At that moment Popo swiveled a bit to try and focus on Erza and Bickslow was tossed off, he landed flat on his back and Erza, wide eyed, fell to her knees next to him putting her hands on his chest, starting to look over him in a panic but he was laughing, a little painfully, but laughing.

"Well fuck Popo, see if I trust you around a beautiful woman again!" The Seith laughed he sat up, propping himself up with his arms behind him.

"Are you sure you're all right?" Erza asked, it hadn't been a small fall, Bickslow had high ceilings and he'd been up there.

"Yeah, more pride hurt than body Kitten, I'm fine." He chuckled and Erza was close right then, leaning over him because it had looked like it could have been worse than it had turned out to be.

She knew she should move, sit back, maybe offer him a hand back to his feet but she'd caught his eyes and Bickslow had the most entrancing eyes. Her hands were still on his chest, and before she could think, she was leaning closer and he suddenly moved forward and their lips met.

Bickslow was a little stunned, not just from the fall either, Erzas wide dark eyes had been flooded with concern and then, in a moment, they were filling with a want he felt tugging at his chest as much as his groin.

She was such an enigma, beautiful but aloof, shy but aggressive, ample soft curves to make a mans mouth water but powerful and deadly. The men at the guild all drooled over her behind her back but wouldn't look her in the face.

Laxus said he was crazy, well, he'd embrace crazy if it meant he could be kissing a gorgeous redhead.

When she started leaning into him, her eyes flickering to his mouth he hadn't thought twice about what he should do. Didn't give a damn about what the consequences might be either.

The babies were whirling around above them excitedly, they all thought Erza was the prettiest thing ever and he tended to agree.

Kissing her was the kind of thrill Bickslow really went for too, there was always the little bit of concern she'd pull back and he'd learn he had mis-interpreted her intentions by having his nose broken.

He was happy to risk it, shifting his weight to the arm closest to her so he could lift the other and thread his hand into her hair.

God he loved her hair, it was soft and thick and that lustrous deep red color was just incredible. It always smelled so good, like apples and cinnamon and she tasted as good as she smelled too.

Her lips were so full and soft and her bottom lip was amazing between his teeth and as he sucked on it she was moaning and pushing her soft chest against his, he laid back down on the floor wrapping both arms around her then shifted their positions so he could deepen the kiss and couldn't stop the moan that flew up his throat when she slid her tongue into his mouth.

He turned his head slightly, getting a better angle, lips moving over hers hungrily and he felt her hands pushing under his shirt, sliding over his skin and growled softly at the sensation, his jeans were suddenly way too tight and when his fingers dug into her rounded hips, massaging the firm flesh there so sense reached him from somewhere.

They were in a house without a stick of furniture, it was cold, they were on a hard floor and damnit, he was trying so hard not to let it be easy to get into his pants anymore.

He was tired of being treated like, well, an object. Cristoff wasn't wrong, Cana did treat him like her own little sex toy, and he really hadn't minded for a long time, even after overhearing Cana suggest propositioning him for easy hassle free sex to a few women in the guild. He knew Cana had put Erza up to that bet too.

He didn't resent that though, he'd wanted Erza for a long time, just been like the other men in the guild, not sure she wanted to be approached that way, judging by her reactions she didn't but she'd changed a lot since the whole thing with Jellal had happened.

His heart still sort of twisted in his chest when he remembered a card game the ladies had played and Erza Lucy and Levy had lost and had to put glasses on the bar. Had to go on a date with someone random and the guys were all told to write their names on papers and put them into the glass of the woman they wanted that date with.

Lucys and Levys had both filled in less than an hour, but Erzas had sat empty until Master Makarov had put his name into it and his was the only name that ever went into it too.

The pair had gone to dinner and Makarov had spent most of the time comforting her as she cried according to Laxus.

Bickslow hadn't been there, the Raijinshuu had been on a mission when that had happened, but he'd seen Erza looked subdued and sad days later. None of the guys in the guild had the balls to even go on an arranged date with the woman. He would have done it, well…he would have put his name into all three glasses, but he wouldn't have hesitated to try for Erza along with the other two.

Laxus had him pegged too, he couldn't help being drawn to a woman that was hurting, he felt their souls almost crying and all he wanted to do was see them better. Maybe that was his fascination with Erza now, her soul had been dim, gray, for a while now and it wasn't just the invasion.

Usually it was a soft rose color, but it had been dim lately. He was simply too preoccupied with her lips to even try to look now though and one thing stood out in his mind.

He didn't want to be "easy", he didn't want anything else between them to have no real meaning. He was done playing those games, he never got much beyond a few hours of pleasure out of them and sometimes not even that, he'd been used plenty of times.

So he pulled back, looking down into her half lidded eyes, they were both breathing harder than they had at any point during all the work they had done that day.

"Kitten, this is a cold hard floor, and I'm gonna be straight with you, I'm not doing any more casual shit with you, I can't….I like you too much, respect you too damn much." He said softly.

She looked almost stricken, hurt, confused and Bickslows mind raced, when she went to move he held her, knew he didn't stand much of a chance if she applied herself to getting loose but he held her anyway.

"I apologize for my advances, I…I was too forward…" She stammered and He grit his teeth.

"Hey, who's on top of who here huh?" He smiled down at her and she bit her lip, still looking terribly unhappy so Bickslow decided to put himself out there a little, take a risk, worse that could happen was she laughed in his face right? "Erza, I like kissing you, too much in fact, and I don't want to stop…whatever it is that you and I seem to be sort of starting, I just want you to know, I like it…I want more." He said.

Erza blinked up at him then, he…liked her? Liked the kissing, the random hugging and cuddling on the couch at Wendy and Cristoffs like she did?

"I want more too…" She admitted, heart hammering in her chest so hard she was wondering if it would harm itself.

He smiled, not one of his crazy smiled, but a warm one that made heat curl in her chest and between her legs at the same time. "That's good to hear…shit I was holding my breath for a minute there wondering if you were going to punch me in the face, throw me across the room or kiss me." He admitted.

Erza smiled a little wryly. "I want to do all three." She told him. Bickslows grin was familiar now "Oh Kitten, don't tease me now." So she shoved him off of her so hard he flew back and slammed into the wall laughing.


	31. Chapter 31 Canas greatest fantasy

A/N ok, this chapter is SO not for kiddies, Fair warning. For the grown ups...enjoy...DESNA

xoxooxoxoxoxoxoxooxoooxoooooxooxoxoooooxooxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

Moans and sighs carried easily beyond the curtains of the massive bed. Dain stood passively, lips pressed firmly together. Intermittently the whirling noise then cracking sound of a whip sounded, rarely followed by a grunt or hiss of pain.

The whip though hadn't sounded for nearly thirty minutes when the moans and gasps got faster, panting breaths sounding, the bed moving, curtains swaying a little.

Dain suppressed a grimace as he caught glimpses of what was happening on the bed, carefully keeping his face expressionless, two other servants stood like he did facing the massive bed, one and older woman with silver hair, another an aging man.

All wore the uniforms of Sevens Royal Guard, including Dain. They had stood here before, for years in fact. None ever looked at another nor spoke a word or showed the slightest hint of reaction.

"Ah! Yes!...Yes!" A feminine voice screamed out, another shortly behind her and the movements of the bed and its curtains stopped.

A few minutes passed as panting faded, then the curtains opened. The Queen of Seven and her sister both tying their robes around themselves as they slid off the bed.

The Queen turned, leaning over the tall man that was still tied securely to that bed she kissed his mouth, then pushed strands of heavy black hair from his face. "We will rise again my son, and I think I have made clear how I feel about your failure. I expect you back here, on this bed waiting for me and Yuvenia in a weeks time." She smiled, the Queen was beautiful, even at her age her raven hair held few silver strands and her grey eyes were sharp.

She ran a hand over her sons chest, tracing the tattoo of the crest of their house that lay over his heart, then sliding it further down grasping his cock and bending to kiss it too. "Gods, Just like your fathers, every bit as enjoyable too." She licked her lips, looking again into her sons calm eyes.

She smiled, then sharp deadly grey eyes lifted to look at Dain, searching always for any sign of judgement, any sign of anything that might indicate the least bit of dissention. Finding nothing but cold emotionless calm, much like her sons face, she drew a breath.

"Clean him up Dain. You heard my order, back on this bed within a week, or I will have you both brought here, and Yuvenias aid can have you Dain, while my sister and I spend time with my son." She purred.

Dain resisted the urge to look sharply at the large male aid who was already following the Queens sister Yuvenia from the chamber.

"Now now Kressa, I don't like when Buris is distracted by such things, I prefer to keep him…lively" Yuvenia called. The Queen laughed, bending to kiss her son once more, forcing his mouth open so her tongue could get one last good taste of him before she stood and strode from the chamber, her aid following her silently.

When the doors closed Dain rapidly started untying the silk rope that bound his prince to the bed.

"Should I fetch some salve?" He asked quietly, there was healing salves, special ones made by the master healer that prevented scaring.

One arm free he went to his princes ankle to untie it. Nuryev heaved a sigh, flexing his freed wrist, it was red, bleeding, he usually was good at not straining against the ropes when they chose to tie him up, but Yuvenia had been brutal with the whip this time.

His whole body hurt, and while Yuvenia never struck his face, near the crest tattooed on his chest or around his groin, his arms, legs and back usually were plenty abused.

They'd had him kneeling on the bed for most of the beating, only taking a few mild shots across his legs once his mother had tied him down so they could use his body.

He looked like his father, his mother said so often, had his fathers eyes, hair, body, apparently a dick around the same size too. Sitting up once he was untied he winced as he peeled away from the bloody sheets and Dain sighed, going to a cabinet and pulling out a jar of salve and intercepting Nuryev before he could put a robe on, shaking his head at him and Nuryev sighed again, he could feel blood running down his back and legs, he strode to the shower and Dain helped him get cleaned up, placed salve into the whip marks before bandaging everything so Nuryev could finally pull on his royal military uniform.

"I have little information, I know that those dragon slayers that took down Motherglare were also at ERA when it fell, I'm betting they were involved in the destruction of Lacrima Draconian, but I don't know if they survived destroying it. Technically, they shouldn't have, the souls within it weren't something a slayer could see or even hope to contain, but from what our few remaining spies can tell, nobody suffered ill-effects after the Lacrima controlling the dragons was destroyed." He slammed his fist on the dresser as Dain was arranging the clasps of his shirt.

"Rulus is dead, the Lamia Scale Wizard Saint killed him, we know that pair of Dragon Slayer healers were involved in that, the soldier that was outside the Village when it happened said he saw Rulus try to escape with the female but he couldn't get past the rune barriers around the village to get out of it. The male dragon slayer got the female out of Rulus' arms and to safety and Jura killed Rulus." Dain said unhappily. Rulus had been their best spy, and had always brought Dain some of the sweetest, most entertaining women.

Nuryev glared down at the surface of the dresser. "Fucking Dragon Slayers…if it weren't for the dual souls I would have focused on ridding the world of them first, turned every damn one of them into a lacrima." He growled, then sighed, composing himself back to his usual calm detached state.

"Get all of the information together on Dragon Slayers you can Dain, you and I have research to do, I only get less than a weeks rest before Mother and my Aunt will…have me…again, she's planning a few maidens this time, wants me to sire some grandchildren for her…" he sighed.

Dain nodded "Oh course." Nuryev turned icy green eyes to the man "Planning a Dragon Slayer hunt will help keep me focused on more enjoyable things than my mothers plans." He said, and then strode swiftly from the chamber, Dain nodding to the servants outside "Burn the bedding." He told them as he passed and they nodded.

Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Cana heaved a content sigh, walking into the Guild Hall and finding it busy. It had opened two days earlier and though some minor changes had happened, it was still like home. Mira even had a tall mug of ale waiting for her that she happily took from the bar as she slid onto a tall stool.

She was taking a deep drink when the familiar, wonderful scent of exotic spices and sea water came to her a moment before warm hands slid over her hips. She put the mug down and turned grinning to meet lavender eyes and a sexy smile.

"I thought you had to go to Crocus." She smiled tilting her head back and happily accepting the kiss she knew was coming.

Gods he could kiss her all day every day and she would never get tired of it. When he pulled back one of her hands was grasping a heavy lock of his platinum hair, not letting him get far.

"I do, but you're coming with me, this needs to be finished." He said, reaching past her and taking her mug, he took a deep drink himself before handing it to her and she gave him an annoyed look.

"Never mess with a womans beer." She warned, snatching the mug from his hand and draining it before putting it back on the bar.

Kaleb could drink, something she'd been delighted to discover, though he didn't really care for getting drunk, he held his liquor well enough it gave Cana yet another reason to enjoy his company. His preference for Vodka and Rum she certainly could get behind too.

"You want me to go with you?" She asked a little surprised. They had been sharing a bed for a few days now and so far, all she really knew was that Kaleb was the best lover she had ever had, he was highly respected by his people, and was all together, wicked fun to be around.

He wasn't a party boy like his brother Bickslow, or a calm quiet person like Cristoff, he was somewhere in between that. Throw in his exotic looks, mouthwatering body, that he was a Guild Master and a Wizard Saint at the age of 25 and Cana was left wondering how in the hell she had ever caught his attention.

"Yes, you know Erza really well right?" He asked and Cana frowned. "Yes…" why would he even know Erzas name? She remembered the two had talked most of the way to Magnolia the day they had met him in Onibus, and she had seen him talk briefly with the re-quip mage a few times since then but why would he want to know about Erza?

Kaleb smiled, lifting a pale eyebrow and Cana cursed under her breath, fucking mind reading…

He leaned down, brushing his lips over hers "You know you can ask me to stop, I can block you out, I don't have to listen if you don't want me to." He whispered and she sighed, claiming another kiss because damn it, she could.

"No, it's fine…I like how you use it in bed, I really don't want you to stop that…" She smirked.

"Erzas birthday is next week, most of her clothes and things were destroyed, your Master, Bickslow and several others have asked I pick up gifts for her while in Crocus since the stores here still don't have much to offer yet and none of them can get away from the work being done here for a trip themselves so I'm recruiting you to do the shopping while I'm in meetings all damn day." He told her and she grinned.

"You want me to go shopping? For a whole day in Crocus?" She was beaming now and Kaleb chuckled "Two days, we'll be there for two days." He told her and she flung her arms around him and yanked her to her for a hard kiss that left him laughing.

"I'll take that as a yes." He grinned and Cana nodded enthusiastically. The next moment he had her hand and was pulling him with her from the Guild Hall.

"Wait…I need to pack…" She protested and he smirked over his shoulder at her "Nope, no time, we have a train leaving in ten minutes to be on." He replied.

"But I need clothes!" She protested more and he pulled her into his side making her stagger until she came up against him "I'll buy you clothes, all you want, a reward for handling this." He told her and she was beaming again.

Thane met them at the station, smiling at Cana as he followed her and Kaleb on board.

Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Erza walked alongside Bickslow with a faint frown. She was staying at Wendy and Cristoffs now, Lucy had objected when she'd told her and Cobra but, not too much.

She was happy too, sleeping in a bedroom across from Bickslows was thrilling to her. Nights were spent with him, Wendy and Cristoff and they were usually filled with laughter, teasing and fun. Things Bickslow just seemed to bring with him wherever he went, add in Cristoff and Wendy and there seemed to never be a dull moment.

Since they had finished the drywall, they had painted and now the paint was dry and furniture was being delivered today. Bickslows father had sent it, and once it was there, Bickslow could move into his house again.

Erza was happy for him and a little sad at the same time. Though it had only been a few days, a little more than a week since they had both admitted they wanted to see more of each other, pursue the attraction they had to each other aside from where Erza slept at night, nothing had really changed.

Bickslow was fun, teased her until she struggled between wanting to kiss him or knock his lights out, and he was a hugger, a kisser, liked to touch and while Erza had always been one who guarded her personal space jealously, she'd quickly come to enjoy the way that Bickslow expressed happiness and affection, even reassurance or just friendly support.

She'd seen Cristoff was the same way, and since being around the Boscans, had learned it was sort of a thing with their people in general. Boscans were affectionate, physical people, kisses were common and as often as not, meant nothing romantic. Could just be a soft showing of support or friendship, though the men rarely kissed other men on the lips, she'd seen foreheads, temples and shoulders kissed though.

It had taken some getting used to, but now…she liked it. She also very much liked standing in the kitchen doing any little thing and having a tall man come up and wrap his arms around her and hug her.

Mira and Cana were both right, nobody gave better hugs than Bickslow. Maybe it was his height, he was tall, or the fact his body was so firm and just big enough she felt small in his arms but not so big she couldn't get her arms around him for a firm hold of her own.

It was a strange thing, that she liked how he made her feel when he hugged her, his height and size reminded her she was a woman in a mans arms, and though she had hugged Natsu, Gray, even Gajeel and Laxus, she'd never felt that way while hugging someone before. He was just…the perfect size for her she guessed.

Jellal had been about the same height as her, and slender. Plenty strong, but when she put her arms around him she could almost reach her other arms elbow, with Bickslow, she could just grasp her own hands around him as long as her arms were low around his torso because he had a fairly broad chest and shoulders.

"Shit they're already there!" He said suddenly when they reached his block. Sure enough there was a large transport in front of Bickslows house and men standing around. The Seith took up a job and Erza watched him run ahead. His movement was graceful, efficient and she knew how fast he could be when he wanted to be.

Cana had asked Erza many times about her favorite part of male anatomy, the card mage had long ago declared herself to be a butt and shoulder woman. Lucy claimed butts too, and while she still wouldn't let Cana touch Cobra to rank his ass for Canas damn list she had told Cana it had to be at least as good as Bickslows if not Laxus' which Cana had ranked as best.

Cana wouldn't allow it to be ranked though unless she got to give it a good grope and knowing Cobra, that was unlikely to ever happen, so Bickslow retained his rank undisputed, since Cristoff too remained unranked and Gajeel had barely been touched and Levy was jealously making sure that wasn't repeated.

Natsu and Gray Cana had declared "Junior" grade since they weren't as tall as the men in her top 5 and the Junior ass list was a different thing entirely…Cana had it down to damn near a science.

Smiling faintly, watching Bickslow standing talking to one of the delivery men in his snug jeans a black hoodie she knew covered a dark green turtle neck that hugged his body like a second skin. Erza wondered if she couldn't maneuver herself to get her hands on that firm ass at some point.

They hadn't been overly sensual in their touching since agreeing they wanted more with each other, and everything about being involved in this sort of progression of a relationship with a man in a romantic way was new and almost terrifying to Erza, she wasn't sure where the boundries were, so she had gone with not touching anything below his belt no matter how badly she wanted to.

Yes they had already had sex, but that had been a while ago and had been meaningless tension relief seeking on Erzas part. She'd never thought it would inspire her to start thinking of the Seith mage in a romantic way. But it had.

Bickslow himself had indicated that tryst in Shirotsume over him losing that bet had been meaningless. So Erza discarded it as having emotional significance and held on to the memories of that morning more for those times when she wanted to get a good mental picture going of what the tall Seith looked like naked.

It was a very nice image.

He glanced back looking for her and smiled, having unlocked the house and the delivery men were starting to carry furniture inside. "Come on Erza, I need help getting everything sorted out!" He called and she smiled, hurrying her pace since he'd turned and the view of his rear was gone.

Crunching over the snow, her breath coming in silvery plumes, she caught up to him and followed him into the house.

He had her direct the delivery men in the study, dining room and livingroom while he handled the bedrooms, when she objected about it needing to be his choices since it was his house, he'd surprised her, pulling her against him for a quick but heated kiss.

"I'm hoping you'll be spending a lot of time here Erza, so set things up the way you'll like them, if I just hate it we can debate about it later." He told her, before leading the men carrying bed frames and mattresses upstairs.

So Erza arranged the rooms assigned to her, and had to admit, she enjoyed doing it. She had studied Zen and Chi and the importance of flow with the placement of furniture and got into it all.

When the men were leaving, rugs, art, furniture had all been placed and Erza was surveying the livingroom with pride, loving the way it looked. Bickslows taste in furniture was similar to hers, modern yet still homey with black and brown smooth leathers mixed with suedes and heavy soft fabrics.

Arms circled her waist from behind and she leaned into a firm body automatically. "Looks great Kitten, most of this is close to what I had before, I'm glad my Dads aid was able to find it all." Bickslow kissed her hair and she closed her eyes, Gods she shouldn't love being held like this so much, they weren't even really a couple were they? She didn't know, everything about things like that was foreign to her.

"I'm glad you like it, I have studied Zen and Chi techniques regarding placement of things in a home…" She said trying to hold her business like tone even when her knees were weak because Bickslow smelled so good and his hands were resting on her hips.

"Mmm, well, it's perfect, thank you. So since I've kept you working all morning, how about I buy you lunch and maybe I can talk you into helping me get groceries?" He was leaning over her right shoulder, arms tight around her now and Erza smiled "I'll be happy to help Bickslow." She replied.

"Bix, Kitten, Bickslow is what people call me when I'm in trouble." He told her lightly, releasing her after giving her a final squeeze and going to turn up the heat.

He'd already brought his things from Cristoffs, the two meager bags sat in the bedroom waiting to be put away later. He'd lost everything but two bags worth of clothes in the invasion, but he was still better off than Erza and he knew that, Erza had nothing but what was magically set for re-quip. Hence he spending most of her time in coveralls.

The clothing stores hadn't stocked yet, and a 10 hour train ride one way to Crocus just wasn't feasible, she couldn't take basically three days off from all the work that needed to be done to go shopping and besides that…she still had no home of her own so doing something like that made no sense to her.

Bickslow watched her as they walked to the market district, passing Wassermans he noted her smiling at the display window of her favorite bakery.

He wanted to help her, wanted to just sweep her up and set her in his house and insist she stop worrying about Fairy Hills, just move the hell in with him but he knew that might make her uncomfortable, probably would in fact, and they had been getting along so incredibly well he didn't want to fuck it up by going too far, jumping in too deep because that was who he was.

Jump in blind with both feet and hope for the best was pretty much how he lived life. It was why having Laxus as a team leader had been so perfect for him. Laxus was a born leader, and planned ahead with precision. Bickslow was great at thinking on his feet, adapting to situations to stay inside a plan even when things went wrong, so he fit in with Laxus perfectly. The Raijinshuu had sort of formed around him and Laxus, with Freed starting to go with them on missions then Evergreen and they had become an inseparable team.

They didn't spend as much down time together as before, Evergreen was with Elfman a lot, Laxus and Emma were now mated as of a day ago and the pair hadn't come out of Wendy and Cristoffs upstairs bedroom since lightning had torn through the house the other night and blown every bit of electronic equipment the couple owned.

Laxus had made a couple of brief appearances, one to tell Cristoff he was sorry about their things and promise to replace them, the other to grab food and take it back up to the room.

A new Lacrima screen, movie player, lamps and bulbs and microwave had shown up that morning as Bickslow and Erza had been leaving the house.

In spite of that though the team would remain close. Evergreen had been by many times, so had Freed, who had put silencing runes on every room in Wendy and Cristoffs house since nobody liked hearing either of the couples night time habits together.

They sat down in one of the restaurants that had recently re-opened and Erza was looking over the menu while Bickslow agonized over whether or not he should or shouldn't ask her to move in with him.

Maybe as a room mate, he could sell that couldn't he? There was a large bedroom upstairs with it's own bathroom, he'd restored it back to it's former glory too, Evergreen had designed it when she had lived in the house and when he'd been rebuilding, and seen Erza wide eyed as his master bathroom was being set up, he'd asked her what she wanted most in something like that and she'd admitted she loved what he was doing and would really enjoy something like it.

"So you think the upstairs suite came out good?" He asked, fishing a little. Erza smiled she LOVED that room, and its bathroom was a spa-like paradise like the master bath was.

"It's beautiful, I was surprised you let me pick out the fixtures, are you sure they were not too feminine? It is your house after all, I noticed in the master bath you went with more chrome steel and river rock." She said. He smiled, "Naw, you don't have super girlie tastes Kitten, a womans touch in there was perfect, not like you went all pinks and bunnies and kittens on me."

Erza laughed, it was true, her tastes weren't overly feminine, Lucy was that way, leaning into pinks and such, but Erza liked earthy tones for a home and furniture.

They ordered their lunch and Bickslow was looking at her in a way that made the re-quip mage a little uncertain.

"I won't have anything so nice in Fairy Hills, they are upgrading some things but the bathrooms can't be spacious or have large tubs, certainly not the garden tubs you have." She said, trying to stay with a comfortable subject.

"Not very big closets either if I remember seeing the designs." Bickslow said.

Erza frowned slightly and he could have kicked himself, _way to go asshole, make the woman feel worse_.

"I don't have much anyway." She said softly. "Yeah, me neither, but the shopping district is rebuilding quickly, and once Fairy Hills is built we'll all be getting back to taking jobs and getting back to more normal things." He replied.

Truth was the job request board was overflowing, with several guilds wiped out of existence, so many rebuilding, and Sevenese remnants like loose Berserhers, heel creatures and other horrors loosed on Fiore, the demand for mages was high. Natsu was still in Shirotsume with the Egg and wouldn't leave it at all until it hatched.

Gray was helping with construction and Lucy and Cobra had had to do work in their home that they had just recently finished, like replacing the roof, extensive cleaning, installing new floors, repainting, redoing the wrecked kitchen and the front and back yards.

So work was abundant, but Erzas team was a little scattered. Laxus had opted to purchase a ruined house not far from the guild since Emmas potion shop was open again and she would benefit from them living closer than his property out in the forest.

The restoration of the house was well underway and Bickslow planned to be helping with it as well as Fairy Hills now that his own home was completed.

He had told Kaleb to get Cana to help him buy Erza some new clothes, and whatever else Cana thought the re-quip mage would want, Cristoff, Wendy, Laxus, Lucy, Cobra, Gajeel and Levy and even Gray had all agreed and pitched in, wanting to give the re-quip mage a great birthday.

Now, If he could get the woman to agree to move into his house instead of settling for a little apartment in Fairy Hills, something so many were already hoping to get too, housing was at a premium, so many people were homeless right now. He just believed she would be happier having a big house to live in, a place to call home, and that he was there, maybe, just maybe, he could be part of what made it home for her. If she was interested in that, she seemed like she was.

He hoped so anyway.

He'd told Cristoff and Wendy and Wendy had thought it was a wonderful idea, Cristoff had been warning him again about not getting in too deep too fast, giving Erza time, but his brother had gotten the benefit of more than a year with his wife before he'd really had to step up and admit everything and commit himself to her.

Bickslow was afraid if he waited too long, Erza would lose interest in him or some other man would finally grow a pair and pursue her that wasn't a dorky guy with creepy magic like him.

He loved too that her false eye meant his magic didn't just grab her, if he ever wanted to possess Erza it would require concentration and focus on doing so, it couldn't happen by accident with her, making her uniquely…perfect for him.

Accidental possession had cost him his first girlfriend when he was 17 and that had been a huge heartbreak. Then when they had returned from Tenrou, he'd of course found the girl he'd been close to when they had left had given up on him and gotten married, already had three kids too. Cristoff had come and stayed two weeks with him while he'd adjusted to the return from Tenrou timeloss. Then right after Cristoff had gone back home to Bosco Bix had stumbled across the little pinkette woman, Felicity, who had run away from home to become a mage but didn't know the first thing about magic.

Bickslow had helped her, she'd been so beautiful and sad crying in the diner he and the Raijinshuu had stopped into for dinner. She had had a penny to her name, nowhere to sleep, but Bix had ignored Laxus and Freed and Evergreen and bought her food, taken her in, started helping her.

He'd learned she had been about to marry, had run away from that too it seemed, was a musician, played the Piano. And he'd bought her one, paid for her to go to the advanced school in Crocus, gotten his father to set it up and get her in.

She'd used him so well, for money, a place to live, sex, everything she could get from him. Then when she'd gone to the school, the Raijinshuu had returned from a job and Bickslows house had been almost emptied. The piano, anything that wasn't nailed down really had been taken and the Felicity had left him a note telling him she was back with her fiancé from before, thanking him, and then she wouldn't speak to him again.

He didn't seem able to keep a woman, most left after a fuck or two, some like Cana wanted to keep him like some sort of plaything. He'd always been pretty good about it, reached a point after Felicity had happened that he didn't care anymore. Fine, he was only good for sex? Well, he knew he was good at it, he'd just stick with one night stands or be a plaything on the side like he'd been for Cana.

But then the bet had happened, and Erza had almost cried in his arms, and that whole thing had been so…moving for him. He hadn't gone into it thinking it would mean anything, he'd agreed to it expecting nothing but some intense sex with a gorgeous woman he'd admired for a long time.

That was what it was too, really good sex with a woman he admired, and maybe that was the issue that had kept it from being forgettable, because he'd had plenty of good and great sex, hell, Cana was great in bed and they had fucked plenty of times once she'd started with him at the club in Hargeon.

But Erza he respected before hand, and respected no less afterward and maybe that's why it got to him.

Whatever the reason, it wasn't just his cock wanting the woman, his heart did too, and he could see her soul had gotten more rose colored again since they had been spending time together, and that there was a thread of gold inside of it that could only be his because he was the only one he knew of with a gold soul and that was because he was a Seith mage.

He also knew there was a similar strand of rose nestled now in his own soul. That meant something real was happening and he wanted it to continue, didn't want to fuck it up.

He'd fucked up too many times, his heart was damaged because of it, he was just one of those people who sort of carried his heart on his sleeve and handing it out easily. He didn't want to be, but he couldn't help himself.

"I'm looking forward to getting back to taking jobs again, but…I need a place to live first." She said and he could see her struggling, fucking felt it. She had volunteered to give up her apartment in Fairy Hills before. When it was done the complex would have 10 one bedroom and 10 2 bedroom apartments and Makarov had requests from more than 300 people including families for one of them. He would give one to Erza though and she knew that, but hated depriving someone of that.

"You're not sure you want to move into Fairy Hills are you? You're thinking about passing so someone else can have your spot." Bickslow said then, figuring out why she looked so torn.

She nodded rapidly "Yes, more than 300 people including families are asking for those apartments and there will only be 20 of them, I'm just a single woman, I shouldn't be greedy…I…I don't know what to do…I want a home but I don't want to deny others who really need it more than me, I mean, I have friends, I wont be on the streets like those people are…." She admitted and actually sighed, it was a relief admitting that.

"Move in with me." Bickslow said, almost choking on saying it but glad he'd finally gotten it out on the table. Erzas eyes widened on his.

"I mean, it doesn't have to be anything more than a roommate situation if you're uncomfortable ok? I know we just barely even admitted we like each other as more than friends right, but I have that big suite upstairs if you want that and I'd be checking with the guild anyway to see if anyone wanted to rent it with housing like it is so I'm thinking…" He drew a breath, knowing Cristoff and Laxus and Freed and even Evergreen would have lined up to slap the back of his skull for going on like he was, but jump in, both feet was his style.

"I want to spend more time with you, we've been living under the same roof already and it's been so good I….well…want even more than what we sort of said a few days ago." He'd said it, couldn't just leave it at a roommate thing, should be kicking himself really for not just leaving it there, but he wanted her to know, needed to be honest, fast or not, both feet eyes closed.

Erza stared at him and he wasn't sure what to do, would have given anything to have either Cobra or Kalebs ability sets right then so he had some clue. All he had to go on was seeing that bit of gold wrapped up in her soul when he had stolen a look the day before.

"You…mean all of that?" She asked softly. The waitress arrived at that moment with their lunch and set everything down, Bickslow even managed to smile at her though he felt like he was possibly about to have a near death experience or get his heart kicked in when Erza either attacked him for being too forward or told him she didn't want to go farther with him and wouldn't feel comfortable living with him.

He honestly had just asked her to live with him…holy hell, yeah, that was big… _great job Bix way to think things through_.

"I mean it." He said quietly. He might as well go all in right? If he said "Naw just joking HAH your face!" Yeah, even he would have hurt himself.

Erza slid out of her seat and Bickslow was closing his eyes, she was going to just walk out, yeah, ok, well…better than 100 swords through his chest, a little better…maybe.

But then she was sliding onto the booth seat next to him, arms around him, slamming him against the wall and kissing him so hard he saw fucking stars, or maybe it was his head hitting the wall to the inside of the booth, either way those things sparked behind his eyelids.

As he realized she wasn't walking out, wasn't slamming weapons into his body, was in fact, only pushing her soft luscious lips against his, pressing breasts not swords against his chest and the only thing invading him was her tongue pushing into his mouth, his arms came around her and he relaxed and kissed her back.

Someones throat clearing loudly and a comment about getting a room made Erza back off but she was staring into his eyes, her own deep brown eyes tearing, well, only one did, the other usually didn't.

"Yes, yes I'd love that!" She breathed and Bickslow grinned, pulling her back for another kiss and when the guy sitting across from them started to make another comment suddenly he stiffened for a moment then he dropped his fork and started kissing the napkin dispenser passionately, nicely taking the attention off the much more normal seeming couple in the booth across from him.

Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxooxoxoxoxoxooxoxooxooxoxoxo

AUTHORS WARNING: Ok kiddies, this bits a bit risqué, you don't like that, end the chapter here. You have been warned.

xoxoxooxooxoxoxoxoxoxoxoooooooooooxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxooooxoxooxoxoxox

Cana looked around the room a little wide eyed. They were at the Boscan Embassy in Crocus, and had just been brought to their quarters. Since he was Boscan, the son of the lead Ambassador for Bosco, brother to its second highest ranked diplomat, and considered an asset to his country as the Master of its largest most powerful guild. Kaleb rated rooms in the Embassy.

He watched Cana walk around looking at the sitting room, then she outright whistled in the bedroom and made another equally enthusiastic sound finding the private bath off the bedroom.

Following her into the bedroom, the attendant carrying their bags close behind him, a man nearly as tall as himself he noted. Cana emerged from the bath area and put her arms around his neck kissing him. Her eyes glanced at the male attendant who emerged from the closet where he had placed there bags and, as he should, then took his place standing by the wall waiting to see if they needed help with anything.

He interest had sparked, Kaleb heard her thinking, she thought the attendant, with his dark red hair and gray eyes was handsome, Kaleb almost smiled when she reasoned the attendant wasn't even close to as handsome as she thought Kaleb was, but still very easy on the eyes.

It was while she was kissing him that her thoughts made him smirk, instantly lit interest and surprise in him.

Cana kept lists of things she appreciated or wanted, goals, it was one of her little quirks and one Kaleb found charming, if a little kinky depending on the list. His ass had apparently been ranked on one of them, as had his prowess in bed, and some of his other body parts.

He was Boscan, sex and kinks around it were not an uncomfortable topic for him though, and he'd been indulging pretty much everything that came into Canas wicked mind because it thrilled him. In many ways, the woman was one of the boldest he'd ever been with, and he was enjoying the challenge of meeting or exceeding her ever expectation though he'd never planned on that when he'd first approached her.

Top of her list, and she had a pretty steamy mental image that flashed right into his head vivid complete with sounds staring him. Sex with two men at one time. More than anything, it was her all time sexual grail. One she immediately dismissed, having some slightly bitter humor about it in her head where men didn't share and were too proud and all of that.

Kaleb pulled back, smiling down at her with a surprised knowing look that had her blushing bright red instantly.

FUCKING MIND READING she shouted in her head and he nodded at her, tilting his head curiously, glancing at the tall attendant by the wall who was watching them a little longingly and Kaleb made a decision as soon as he caught the mans thoughts damn near mirroring Canas.

Challenge accepted.

"Really…it is something you want that badly?" He whispered against her lips and Cana blushed more, turning her eyes away from his "I…well…"

Yes damn it, she'd always wondered what it would be like, having two good looking men just pleasuring her until she couldn't move anymore then just being crushed between them, totally enveloped in masculine passion, wasn't that heaven? It was something she'd fantasized about since she'd started having sex!

Men didn't share though, they got weirded out about touching each other with a woman involved, she knew some men preferred other men and were great about more than just touching another man, she watched porn, she knew, but two men with one woman, that only happened in porn where the men were getting fucking paid and a gorgeous beast like Kaleb, yeah she couldn't see him needing to consider sharing a woman, he really did plenty to get her going, was the first man to ever manage to fuck her until she actually couldn't walk right the next day. Why on Earthland would a man like him need or want to work with another man to please a woman?

"You so want to…" He said, interrupting her inner dialog and she knew he'd listened in on every bit of it from the way he was looking at her. But his smile, the surprise wasn't even close to repulsion, he looked…willing?

"I am willing Cana, lets see if you are…" And he turned, raising his hand and beckoning the dark haired attendant.

"Your name?" He asked, the man bowed slightly before coming back to his full height and looking between Cana and Kaleb almost hopefully and Cana caught that.

"Aaron Master Kaleb." He replied.

Kaleb nodded, looking back at Cana who was just transfixed, eyes moving between Kaleb and Aaron.

Kaleb saw the fantasies swirling through Canas head and smirked, she thought he was something he really wasn't, nothing about sex bothered him, he was Boscan and she still didn't quite get what it was to be born and raised in a country that didn't have stigmas, prejudices or religious hang ups about sex.

He reached with his arm close to Aaron and pulled the other man to him, kissed him, drawing a gasp out of Cana who instantly felt her insides roar into flames and wetness just saturate her panties seeing that, When Kaleb pulled back Aaron was smiling faintly "Help me please my woman Aaron.." Kaleb said in a husky voice that almost made Canas knees give out.

Aaron moved behind her and suddenly Cana was in the arms f two men, her clothes being pulled from her, their hands sliding over her, Aarons grasping her breasts while one of Kalebs was behind her head, the other between her legs, Kaleb kissing her while his fingers slid about her center and he smiled.

"So wet so fast…you really do want this…" He purred, and stepped back exchanging a glance with Aaron who guided her to the bed, her eyes though riveted on Kalebs. She climbed onto the bed, watching Aaron return to Kaleb who stood at the foot of the bed.

Aaron started stripping Kaleb down and when he pulled the mans shirt open Cana slid to the foot of the bed to start running her hands over his chest, watching hungrily as Aaron opened the blondes pants and pulled them down, placing kisses on Kalebs side, then his hip, then the outside of his thigh while Cana followed eagerly.

The Kaleb turned and Cana dove in helping him strip Aaron, the man wasn't the built beast Kaleb was, wasn't adorned with the tattoos he had either, but he was smooth and tan skinned and had distinct tone and definition everywhere.

The two men joined her then on the bed, Kaleb climbing over the foot of the bed, pushing her back, keeping her on her knees while Aaron came around the side and slid up behind her.

Then there were hands all over her, heated lips kissing her skin while she was kissing theirs. There was no way to alternate well, both men moved so fluidly, Kaleb as always perfect with his touches, catching what Cana wanted as each idea popped into her head.

Aaron was a trained attendant for Boscan royalty, his education is pleasure honestly exceeded Kalebs probably by a huge margin, so Aaron kept up really well, reading small ques, following Kalebs lead.

This was Kalebs woman, and Kaleb was like royalty in Bosco, so Aaron was submissive in his role, but the man was loving every second, getting to enjoy such a beautiful woman, and an equally handsome as well as powerful man at one time, he thanked the Gods he was working tonight and had been assigned to the Guild Master.

Canas mind was just gone, adrift in the glorious sounds of two men enjoying her and each other. She loved seeing them kiss, just about came when Aarons hands slid around her and she watched then glide with hers all over Kalebs chest before they slid from Kaleb back to her and were caressing her breasts while Kaleb again kissed her and squeezed her ass, pulling her against him so his hard erection slid along her center through the wetness there coating himself with it thoroughly, she moaned into his mouth, feeling Aaron pressing in behind her, and Kaleb released her lips, pulling back then, his hand sliding over her collarbone up her throat and tilting her head back so she was draped backwards on Aaron, her head resting back on his shoulder and she felt Aarons lips at the corner of her mouth and turned into his kiss.

He wasn't Kaleb, his kiss wasn't that consuming, but his hands were so good on her breasts, fingers teasing the sensitive peaks, and she felt Kaleb sliding his hands down her inner thighs, grasping behind her knees and then lifting her, spreading her legs wide, her knees suddenly held in the crooks of his arms and then his erection was pushing into her, she was spread so wide, laying back against Aaron, Aarons tongue in her mouth, his hands on her breasts while Kaleb entered her and pushed in so deep she groaned at the intrusion.

Then, Kaleb reached forward and grasped Aarons hips behind Cana and the two men started thrusting against each other, Aarons trusts driving Cana firmly into Kalebs and it was absolutely mind blowing.

She could scarcely breath at all, came hard with the second thrust and Kaleb eased up for a little, taking shallow thrusts and prolonging the waves of pleasure until her walls stopped clamping on him with each wave then he started again and Cana screamed, the two men were strong, and her hips rested against Aarons so when he pressed forward and tilted his upper body back he provided an intense meeting of Kalebs thrusts that Cana knew she could never have done especially not in this position, suspended like she was in their arms, legs spread so wide.

Another orgasm just laid waste to her with its intensity and her mewls, screams, gasps and moans were stopped as she rode it out between the two men. Kaleb lowered her legs then and Cana would have just collapsed on the bed if Aaron hadn't been holding her. Kalebs withdrawl from her body made groan with the loss.

She was moved to her hands and knees and she eagerly reached out, grasping Aarons hips and pulling him toward her as she felt Kalebs hands grasping her own hips, felt him lining himself up and then he speared into her hard and she smothered her moan taking Aarons erection into her mouth greedily.

Kaleb pumped into her from behind and she used his powerful thrusts to help her move her mouth over Aaron, squeezing the mans hips as she worked him, hollowing her cheeks sucking at his tip every time she came back to it and thrilling at the sounds he made, low wonderful moans and hisses of pleasure until his hand touched her face "I…I'm cumming." He warned and she nodded slightly but kept going until he did, she made a satisfied sound, swallowing what he released and then groaning when he pulled himself from her mouth and lifted her from her hands. She felt Kalebs lips on the back of her shoulder, he was pounding into her and Aaron was kissing her, one hand pulling up one of her legs, opening her so Kaleb could angle his thrusts even deeper while Kalebs hands kept pulling her hips back to meet his thrusts and Aarons free hand closed over one of her breasts, he left her lips, mouth closing over her other breast, tongue swirling over the hard nipple and it was too much, Cana couldn't handle it and screamed, body exploding into another orgasm and she heard Kaleb groan "nngh!...Cana…" and he came with her, hot seed pumping into her, her body milking him so hard he was shuddering with every wave that went through her.

She collapsed, black spots taking her vision away, she felt herself being gently placed down on the bed, felt arms closing around her and blankets coming over her and then she was out, adrift in delicious sated exhaustion.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxooooxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

A/N...Musicera gets snaps for this chapter, it wasn't exactly what we talked about, but I hope you still liked it my dear partner in wicked fanfic creativity.


	32. Chapter 32 Rubystraza

A/N. Whyx, Roses, Music, Moonbeam, Thank you, yeah, a little heated, and I'm not done with Cana either, J.D...uh...yeah I feel suddenly like I'm damned somehow...while I am going through some new training I have some time hence these frequent updates...enjoy em while they last I make no promises...DESNA

xoxoxoxoxoxooxooooxoxoxooooooxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Lucy tipped her head back, teeth clenched, eyes shut, gasping "Erik!...Ah!" Before her body went lax in her mates arms and she let herself tip forward, resting her head on his shoulder as she felt him filling her with his heated release.

"Mmm, that was good…" Erik breathed, holding Lucy against his sweaty body. She kissed his neck "It's always good…better every fucking time somehow you beast." She breathed.

"Well…we do practice a lot…more than any of the others I think…"He chuckled. He knew he was right about that, none of the other slayers had been mated as long as he and Lucy had, yet none of them fucked as often. He couldn't explain it and didn't care to try, Cristoff assured him he was healthy, Wendy said Lucy was, so what the hell was there to worry about?

They just really liked sex, both of them did, so to hell with it, he was happy, so was Lucy. Their house was repaired, There was even a pair of fucking Koi in the damn pond she'd insisted on rebuilding. They were leaving for a job a little later too. Cristoff, Wendy, Erza and Bickslow were going with them, since the teams were all a little fucked right now with everyone so busy getting shit back together.

Wendy and Cristoff wanted to give Laxus and Emma some time alone, since the couple had finally completed mating, having the house all to themselves for a while would be good for them.

"Tasty too…" Cobra snickered, licking her neck and she snorted "I am never letting you buy whipped cream in a can again, I'm sticky in places I don't want to think about!" She cried, sliding away from him she tried to snatch one of the cans they had been playing with but he got to it first, eyes narrowing as she jumped off the bed.

"Oh Tink…now…you sure you want to play this way? I'm all up for more desert…" He growled, starting to move from the bed toward her and Lucy was backing away, biting her lower lip.

"You stay away from me with that, I'm serious Erik…I already have it all over me, I'm going to need to soak for a hour to get it all off and we are meeting the others in 2 hours!" She tried to sound stern, tried so hard to make it a threat, sometimes he'd back off when she actually got mad about something…sometimes.

"You're not mad…and I'm thinking maybe this time I wanna lick it right off those gorgeous breasts…" He lunged and Lucy shrieked, pelting through the house as fast she could go, she skidded through the livingroom and into the kitchen, ripping open the fridge and snatching out the last can of whipped cream and grabbing a jar of edible glitter from the cabinet before rushing around the back of the kitchen island, she could feel him, stalking her.

It was the only advantage she ever got was her ability through the bond to know where he was. He hadn't run after her, deciding she wouldn't run outside naked with his release running down her legs no matter how many times he told her he thought it looked sexy as hell, it was November out there, snow on the ground.

"Erik I'm warning you, if you get me with that stuff again I'm getting you back and then some…" She threatened him and felt her belly heat up at the deep sexy chuckle that came from the livingroom.

"You know you loved it, I'm betting you'll love a little more, we've got a whole hour to play before you need to soak with me in the tub." He said, she heard him, and felt him coming closer.

She shaken the hell out of the can already, and as she was planning her attack, by the couch just in her line of sight she saw Virgo appear and she grinned, the maid held two cans of whipped cream in her hands and while it might be a little odd for one of her spirits to join in her naked whipped cream fight with her mate, Cobra had always liked Virgo the most of all of her spirits.

Erik had gone still and silent though, she could feel him nearby, too close really, she doubted she could get from her spot crouching by the end of the island to another covered spot before he was on her and she was pretty sure he still had a good bit of cream in that can he had. Her hair was a stick mess, so was her entire body really, he'd been spraying it on her lower back, legs and even her ass and she was sure she had bite marks in a few places because he'd gotten pretty rough a few times but damn if she didn't love that.

Something grabbed her ankle and she screeched, getting pilled back around the island right into a barrage of whipped cream she raised her own can and blindly sprayed for all she was worth while tearing off the lid of the glitter and flinging it everywhere.

At first there was silence, then a snort, then laughing and Lucy was trying to get all the whipped cream out of her face to see what had happened.

Mild cursing could be heard under the laughter and Lucy cringed, when she cleared her eyes enough to look she did not see her mate covered in whipped cream and glitter. Instead, Virgo was on the floor, her two cans of whipped cream clearly emptied all over Lucy and then there was Loke, standing looking abjectly horrified at his fine black suit that was completely drenched in whipped cream and hot pink glitter.

The laughter was coming from Erik, who was standing at the opposite end of the island almost ready to fall on the floor he was laughing so hard.

"What the….Princess…I heard you scream…Virgo had forced her gate said you needed help in a fight…" Loke was saying, trying to get the whipped cream off her face enough to see and Cobra, while still wiping tears from his face and snickering, threw a throw blanket over his naked mate.

He was all for all out whipped cream war with her, but like hell was he letting the lion get a look at his mate while she was naked, even if he did have marks from him all over her body and the all important one right above her breast was black as night and stood out boldly against her creamy skin. He snatched the smaller throw from Lucys reading chair and wrapped that around his hips, wasn't gonna let the lion get a look at anything.

Lucy gave Virgo a look, she had been betrayed! Virgo tilted her head "I apologize Princess, I thought once I saw the situation it was a free for all. Punishment?" Virgo said.

Lucy sighed, looking at Cobra who stood painfully free of hot pink glitter and whipped cream while she and her spirits were about drowned in it.

"Go clean up Loke." She called and he frowned at her right before he was forced back. Lucy tossed away the throw and smiled at Cobra "Oh baby, I really bad need a hug right now." She purred. Slowly getting to her feet.

Cobra froze, he'd been wiping his eye and trying to calm his laughter but when Loke vanished and Lucy stood, covered head to tow in whipped cream and hot pink glitter his eye went wide and he started backing away.

"I'm not feeling it anymore Tink, you should probably shower before you get in the tub, I mean, that's a fuck ton of glitter and cream on you…" He said calmly, nodding toward the hallway.

He noted the maid coming around the other side of the island toward him, also covered in whipped cream and glitter…Fuck…he was being flanked…

"I know sexy and I so want to share it and just lick it right off your skin…" Lucy purred and under normal circumstances, that would have been enough, he would have jumped on her and they would have been all over each other but fuck he hated that glitter…

"So not feeling the glitter…" He said. He thought Lucy smiled, it was hard to tell, she was heavily covered in whipped cream and glitter to the point expression was impossible to make out.

"Oh…but you will…" Lucy said, and she reached a hand up and swirled her finger around on the mark above her on the swell of her breast and Cobra groaned, feeling his body immediately betray him, his knees weakening as his mate added her nails to her play over the mating mark until he finally went down to one knee and Lucy and Virgo both lunged in, crushing him between them as he cursed, unable to really even struggle.

A moment later he was as covered in glitter and cream as Lucy and Virgo and the maid spirit stood and stepped back, bowing "I shall go and clean up now Princess." She said.

Lucy was wrapped around Cobra still, sitting on his knee that was still up and now swirling whipped cream and glitter in his thick dark hair while the man sighed.

He looked up at her while she, still looking like a faceless mask of cream and glitter giggled.

"You love me." She reminded him. He stood, hoisting her over his shoulder and having to grab hard to keep her there since they were now both slick with sweet sticky cream. She was laughing all the way down the hall and back to the bathroom.

Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

Cana woke to find herself deliciously sandwiched, Kaleb in front of her, Aaron behind her and she instantly smiled as memories of the night she had just shared with the two men came to her.

Whether they ever admitted it, deep down almost every woman wanted to experience what she just had at least once in their lives. Running her hand down Kalebs side until she could get her hand on a firm butt cheek she pulled and squeezed hard.

Her body was still just jelly, the whole night had been an exploration of pleasure of the flesh like nothing she'd ever even dreamed of. The tall handsome mage in front of her whos lips were now lifting into a lazy smile seemed endlessly willing to indulge her every desire where sex was concerned.

He'd been attentive, engaging and an all around pleasure to be around even when they weren't in bed or naked too.

Wriggling in tighter against him she hooked a leg over his hip and kissed him, again delighted by the fact that even in a sleepy state, the man could still deliver a mind numbing kiss.

She found his pale lavender eyes sharp when she pulled back, a hint of amusement in them, that always seemed to be there in all of the Pradesh men she had met, Bickslow was notorious for his humor, she'd found Cristoff, while quieter than his older brother also seemed to take the whole world with a grain of salt, and Kaleb was that way too, an easy smile, a sharp wit.

"So…everything you wanted it to be?" He asked, a hand sliding down her side and over the thigh she had over his hip.

Cana closed her eyes and sighed "and so much more…" she breathed

"I'll see that breakfast is set up since you're both awake." Aaron said and Cana turned to smile at the man as he slid from the bed.

Kaleb got her attention though, pushing her to her back and kissing her breathless before moving and pulling her from the bed.

"Kaleb!" She protested but he ignored her, walking into the hot bath off the bedroom, the scent in the room was incredible, like some rare spicy flower and citrus, invigorating, and she realized it was the exotic scent Kaleb and Bickslow both seemed to naturally have.

"The water in the bath is from the Grass Sea, you need to soak because you have shopping to do, a lot of it." Kaleb told her, carrying her down into the bath and then sinking into the steaming fragrant waters with her.

He didn't stay with her though, smiling when she objected though her protests died in her throat watching the men emerge from the water and stand dripping in the flickering lights of candles on the edge of the huge sunken bath. His smile made her breath catch.

"I've too many meetings, your bag is on the bed, a card from the Embassy is inside, give that to any store in Crocus and you can buy anything you see that you think Erza would like, or that you would like, I did promise you clothes. You'll be accompanied by one of my seconds, Gaza. She should be her by 10, until then, soak, get dressed, have breakfast and I'll see you tonight if you wish." He told her.

It was something Kaleb had maintained since they had become lovers, he always gave her choices about whether or not she wanted to see him or not. She rolled her eyes "As if I wouldn't want to see you, I'll see you tonight." She agreed shaking her head at him.

He grinned, Gods her whole body about combusted, he was already standing there naked with water dripping down his gorgeous body then he has to hit her with that grin of his. "I enjoyed last night, if you want more, I can make sure Aaron is assigned to us tonight, though…I wouldn't mind having you to myself." He told her and Cana almost moaned.

"You would do it again?" She asked, he smirked "To see your face like that again? Yes I would. Your choice, I'll call you when I get a break today and see what you decide." He left her then and she soaked for a while thinking, trying to decide what she wanted to do.

She'd never been in a position like she was now. She felt just about giddy, Kaleb was just…a dream, her perfect man if she thought about it. Better than that really, because the ideal man she'd always dreamed about had been just another mage like herself, with Kalebs body, good looks and skills in the bedroom of course but she'd never even daydreamed about being the woman of a Guild Master, a Wizard Saint, a man who had the power and success Kaleb did.

She wasn't sure what it meant, he had told Aaron she was his woman, she'd heard that, but what it meant, if anything, she wasn't sure. She was afraid to think about it much. What was happening between them couldn't last and she knew it.

He was the Guild Master of a Boscan guild and he would return to Bosco and his guild when it was time for him and his people to go home.

He'd not once even hinted at anything else happening, and she wasn't a fool, Cana knew women like her were the types men like Kaleb left behind when they were done with the business that had brought them to where she was in the first place.

Even Bacchus left without a backward glance, that was just how it worked and Cana had always been just fine with that. She loved variety, loved moving into the arms of the next man.

But what man could top Kaleb? She couldn't turn to Bickslow anymore, she wasn't blind, she'd seen how Erza had started talking with the Seith mage, how the knight watched him, like he was something better than Strawberry Cake to her.

Cana had already risked one important friendship by having the unhealthy fascination with Cristoff, something Kaleb had swept right out of her. When she thought about what she had almost done to Wendy it made her feel sick. She had been lucky Cristoff hadn't just accepted his mates desire for a three way. If the Lunar Slayer hadn't questioned it, refused it based on Wendy being drunk…The card mage shuddered, emerging from the bath and realizing all she had to wear was what she had been in when they had arrived.

A short slightly heavy set blonde was sitting on the bed when she emerged, the woman had dancing blue eyes and a warm smile Cana instantly liked. "Cana? I'm Gaza, one of the lieutenants of White Sea, Master Kaleb sent me, I brought you these…" She held out her clothes, freshly washed and still warm from drying and Cana grinned. Accepting the clothes and not bothering with modesty, she knew Boscans had none so she just dressed there in front of Gaza while the animated woman bubbled over with ideas about where they could go.

Apparently she was thrilled with her assignment to help Cana shop and had beaten out another guildmate for the privilege of getting to do this.

Cana grinned once she was dressed and the pair went to the sitting room where Aaron had left a wonderful breakfast waiting that Gaze helped her with.

Once again, Kaleb had set her up to have a remarkable time.

Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

Natsu stretched in his bed, groaning, he'd barely slept, and within moments he remembered why, bolting up from the bed and almost ripping the door from its hinges as he rushed across the hall only to stop short, seeing the egg still sitting on its pedestal, lightning and rain still swirling about it, the crack that had started yesterday hadn't changed. He could feel the energy coming from it now, there was life, strong immensely powerful already, life.

He saw the egg shudder a little, it had been doing that for 2 days and he was about to scream in frustration over it too. He went back to his room, pulling out his Com lacrima and calling Freed…again.

The Rune mage blinked sleepily at him and groaned "Yes Natsu, the egg is fine." He said automatically.

Freed had been doing the bulk of the research into dragon eggs since Levy had been translating records from ERA and had been too busy with that to help anymore.

If he could have Natsu would have hunted down that Hunter friend of Cobras and chained the man to the eggs chamber to guide him safely through this but that was sadly not possible, he'd checked, the man was off in Minstrel somewhere hunting and even Bickslows father, who Natsu had thought could make damn near anything happen when Gramps hadn't been able or willing really to help, couldn't get the man deported and brought by armed guard to Shirotsume to help Natsu with the egg, which was really all Natsu had wanted.

"No, look, Fuck Freed would you take this seriously." Natsu growled, turning the lacrima to show Freed the egg and Freed was frowning, he'd seen the crack and really it was a sure sign the egg was going to hatch soon but…

The egg shuddered and the crack grew another couple of inches then the progress arrested again.

Ok, now Freeds eyes were open and he was hurrying to his study. Thank the Gods his books had survived the invasion, Levys had not and Freed had mourned with her about that, especially since she'd had a few of his at her and Gajeels home when it had been destroyed.

He yanked a text from the pile on his desk and flipped swiftly through it.

"Did you see that?! Still think I'm being obsessive?" Natsus angry face was back on the screen and Freed gave him a distracted eye roll "I saw it and yes I still think you've been an obsessed ass Natsu." The Rune mage replied absently.

Natsu would have argued, would have gladly punched the green haired fancy frilly mage in the head if he'd been there too, but he could see Freed looking for answers and the egg mattered more than Freeds clearly badly needed beating.

"It's been like that for a few days now…" Freed was muttering.

"6 days 7 hours." Natsu said impatiently.

Freed smiled faintly, resting a long finger on something in the book "Ah yes, the mothers magic gestates the brood, the more powerful the mothers magic the better the whelps will develop within the eggs, on rare occasions the fathers of the clutch were seen brought to the clutch and the fathers magic would cover the brood to help the welps emerge, when the whelps hatched they absorbed all of the magic boiling about them when their eggs opened. This seemed to be the case with the most powerful broods…" Freed read.

Natsu frowned "So wait, does that mean since we've got the egg under lightning and rain…" Natsu said and Freed finally looked up from the book at him "Rainiera was the Storm Queen, a Dragon Queen that had mastered the power of storms, so the egg has been developing under the closest imitation we could manage of her magic, Laxus and Juvia are both very powerful mages. To complete hatching it looks like the egg may need a boost from its sires magic Natsu…it looks like it is good you are there." Freed told him.

Natsu blinked, looking through the heavy enchanted glass door into the eggs chamber.

"So what, I just breathe fire into the chamber?" He asked. Freed nodded "Yes, try that and see what happens." Freed encouraged and Natsu put the lacrima down on the chair he usually spent most of his time in outside the chamber door.

Dirty dishes, mugs and random odds and ends Natsu had used to keep himself entertained littered the hallway.

Freed got a good view of the egg and watched Natsu carefully open the chambers door a little, drawing in a deep breath and blowing searing flames into the chamber that swirled over the eggs surface and through the small chamber.

Natsu jerked back and closed the door, horrified to see scorching all over the surface of the egg. As the fire got picked up by the magic preserving Lacrimas in the room it started swirling with the lighting and causing bits of the rain to turn to steam and the room heated quickly.

"I burned it! Freed!" Natsu was panicked, and Freed felt his heart almost stop watching what was happening but then another crack formed, and another and suddenly a chunk of the eggshell fell to the floor and soft chirping could suddenly be heard. Natsu froze and Freed watching in amazement as the Dragon Slayer growled, hands on the glass, riveted, more soft sounds from the egg, answered instantly by Natsu and a large section of shell fell to the floor and Natsu reached for the door "Natsu no! It has to be able to absorb the magic in the chamber first!" Freed shouted, dropping his book and flinging a few others to the floor and he shook his hands at the lacrima wishing for all the world he was in Shirotsume.

The two mages watched in wonder as a small head rose shakily, it was hard to see with the lighting rain and fire in the room at first but jaws opened lined with small sharp teeth and suddenly the swirling mass of magic in the room was being drawn in through those open jaws.

When the room was clear of magic, more shell fell to the floor and wobbling on the pedestal was a perfect, elegant, utterly beautiful deep crimson scaled whelp with wrinkled little wings and wide blinking blue eyes.

It trilled and Freed, openly just crying in wonder without shame heard Natsu answer it and the blue eyes tried to focus toward Natsu, it opened its jaws again and trilled and Freeds eyes widened "Feed it Natsu! More fire!" He cried.

Natsu tore the door open and went into the room and a moment later Freed view was washed out as flames flooded the chamber again but they were rapidly consumed and when they were gone Freed was covering his gaping mouth with a shaky hand watching as the dog sized dragon whelp was rubbing its head against Natsus chest and Natsu was rubbing his face against its neck, his shaking hands gently rubbing over its glittering sides until he finally wrapped his arms around the creature and it was opening its jaws while the Fire Slayer blew flames into its greedy mouth.

It rubbed its face against Natsus, purring and Freed was just overwhelmed with delight and about a hundred other happy emotions and he wasn't even there.

"Natsu! I have to call Cristoff before he leaves today for his mission! I'll send him to Shirotsume! He can bring you and the whelp back here so Laxus and Juvia can help you feed it!" Freed cried.

"Her, she's not an "it" Freed, she's a baby Queen…call Cristoff, tell him I'll meet him outside the resort." Natsu said softly, nuzzling the whelp again as she rammed her head into his chest affectionately.

Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxooxooooxox

Cristoff had just settled between Wendys thighs, easing his wife back on their bed he smiled down at her "We shouldn't be doing this, we're leaving soon." Wendys protest held absolutely no conviction, she wanted Cristoff so much it hurt, she just ached with it, something about Laxus and Emma mating had trigged an increase of that sort of activity through all of the slayers, Levy had said even Gajeel had been especially affectionate the last couple of weeks and she and Gajeel didn't even live in the same house as Laxus and Emma.

"We've got 2 hours until we have to be at the station and damn it…I fucking need you." Cristoff replied, kissing her breathless as he started moving inside of her and Wendy moaned, he always felt go incredibly good, her fingers were tangling in his thick black hair when the trill of the com on the dresser made them both go still and Cristoff snarled, dropping his head to Wendys shoulder while she bit her lip and tried not to laugh.

"I should ignore it…" He said, and this time there was no conviction in his voice, as healers neither one of them ignored calls, there could be a life threatening emergency calling.

Heaving a sigh he ground himself against his smirking wife and her smirk turned into a satisfying moaning face making Cristoff feel marginally better.

He pulled himself from her and slid across the bed to stand and grab the lacrima up, careful to focus it on his face before answering it.

Freeds tear filled face greeted him and Cristoff frowned, the man was crying and grinning like an idiot. "What the fuck Freed? You'd better be dying." Cristoff snapped, ignoring the giggle behind him.

"The egg has hatched! Natsu needs to bring the whelp to Magnolia so Juvia and Laxus can help him feed it as soon as possible!" Freed cried.

Wendy was leaping out of the bed behind him grabbing his clothes up as if she was going to dress her towering husband because she couldn't wait for him to do it himself while Cristoff stared wide eyed into the lacrima for a moment.

"I…I'll be right up there!" Cristoff stammered, almost falling over as Wendy wrenched one of his feet off the floor trying to get him to step into his boxer briefs.

"Wendy! I can dress myself!" He protested and the lacrima was dropped so Freed was staring at feet.

"Natsu will meet you in front of the resort! I'll call Laxus and Juvia and the Master!" Freed called.

Natsu ignored the shocked expressions of the Blue Pegasus guild members as he carried the dog sized dragon outside, she was hungry, she was happy eating his fire but it was clear that wasn't enough. He'd only stood in the cold November air for a few minutes when Cristoff appeared, looking more than a little disheveled.

The other slayers eyes widened and when the whelp trilled again this time she was answered by two low thrumming responses and her head whipped around, blue eyes keen on Cristoff she pushed away from Natsus chest then, trilling as Cristoff stepped up to her and Natsu.

"You can't feed her." Natsu said a little coldly, holding onto the whelp even though she was straining to try and reach Cristoff.

Cristoff leaned down, letting her nuzzle his face while he ran a hand over her. "No…but I'm kin and she knows it, calm down Salamander, we all already love her, lets get her home, the other slayers were already rushing to the guild when I left." He said.

"I only need Laxus and Juvia…" Natsu said firmly, biting back a growl when the whelp put her two front claws on Cristoffs chest so she could better sniff at his mouth. Cristoff purred at her, stroking her head "Easy Lei Sena Sune…I've no magic you want yet…" He smiled, crooning to the creature.

"Damn right you don't." Natsu snapped, Cristoff quirked a brow at him but said nothing, reaching out to put a hand on Natsus shoulder and drawing in magic, the process made the whelp hum with excitement and both slayers smiled at her indulgently as she turned a circle in Natsus arms but then leaned away from him into Cristoffs chest again a moment before the man whispered his incantation and they vanished from the Resort.

Xoxoooxoxoxoxoxoxoxooooxoxoxoxoxo

Juvia had been at Fairy Hills helping with the work there when the call came from Emma and she was running for all she was worth for the guild a few moments later to meet Laxus.

Gajeel had given up trying to pull Levy along fast enough and had finally thrown the complaining woman over his shoulder and dipped into the shadows so they could fly hastily to the guild.

Lucy and Cobra rushed from their bathtub, both still sparkling with bits of glitter in their hair as they had dressed and rushed to the guild.

The slayers all came to the area behind the guild as Natsu and Cristoff appeared and none of them weren't effected by the soft sounds the dragon whelp made.

She seemed to know Laxus immediately, trilling little whines at him as he approached and the Lightning Slayers usually hard expression was soft as he came to her.

"Let her nuzzle you…she needs to greet each of you, once she has, feed her some of your magic Laxus, then Juvia can…" Freed was saying, he'd reached the guild before any of the others, having breathlessly rushed there while calling everyone.

Laxus stepped forward, eyes dazed as the beautiful little dragon did as she had with Cristoff, pushing off Natsus chest to put her front feet on Laxus' chest so she could nuzzle his face and sniff at his mouth, he smiled softly, somehow knowing to lift his hand to her face, the blue eyes widened a little and Laxus didn't even flinch as she closed her mouthful of razor sharp teeth over his fingers, lightning crackled over his arm and flowed down into the hungry mouth, sparking over her and she shuddered with delight at it, thrumming and purring until she finally released him and ran a pink little tongue over her jaws, blue eyes searching again.

Juvia was less entranced than the Slayers were, she could see something very profound was happening, and she was happy to be a part of it, but it was all foreign and alarming to her. The dragon Natsu was holding was big enough to do her real harm, body made of water or not, it's deep blue eyes, slitted pupils, glittering ruby scales and pale yellow underbelly all came together on an elegant creature that was the picture of beautiful menace.

She called rain, centered it over the little dragon and the creature purred again, stretching its wrinkled little wings out as it begged at Laxus who smiled and let it latch onto his fingers again to drink lightning from his hand.

Before their eyes her winds smoothed, her sides filled, the blue eyes became more and more luminous until finally, after nearly an hour of feeding from Natsu and Laxus' magic and soaking up Juvias, the creature stepped out of the rain and shook herself. Juvia cut off her magic, watching as the dragon walked slowly toward Gajeel, eyes locked on his a soft trill coming from her and Gajeel rumbled an answer without even thinking, smiling in spite of himself when the dragons blue eyes widened and she came to him. He went to his knees, bending while she nuzzled against him for several minutes before wrapping her body around him like a cat, rubbing her whole body around his and for some reason Levys eyes narrowed and was suddenly…uncomfortable.

The little dragon did the same with Cobra, who like Gajeel got down on his knees with her.

"Just let your dragon take over…" Freed said softly, watching in wonder as the dragon whelp greeted her kin but ignored their mates. Cristoff didn't miss that, he was mated to a female dragon slayer and had grown up with one.

The dragon whelp was deliberately leaving the mates out…he could feel Wendy beside him, she hadn't been there when Cristoff had first been greeted.

"Natsu…you're going to need to trust your inner dragon…Wendy…" He said, watching Wendy, whos eyes were riveted on the whelp. The whelp met Wendys gaze then and her little trill turned into a hiss as she sniffed and suddenly put herself between Wendy and Cristoff, putting her front feet on Cristoff, pulling so hard on his legs he sank to his knees rather than have the whelp rip his flesh off while she was baring her teeth at Wendy.

Cristoff had felt it coming but when it did it happened fast.

Wendy lunged forward, slapping the dragons taloned feet from Cristoff and slamming him to the ground, crouching over him and snarling at the whelp, snapping suddenly long fangs at the whelp.

"Natsu!, No!" Laxus caught Natsu as he tried to lunge in, Freed grabbing the Fire Slayers as well.

"No! She challenged Wendy, let them do this they have to!" Freed cried.

"Don't you dare hurt her!" Natsu snarled at Wendy, surprising himself as he said it too but Wendy didn't take her eyes off the whelp "Shut up Natsu, she has to learn her place!" She snarled.

"Let your dragon do this Wendy…" Cristoff said beneath her in a soft calm voice and turned his eyes from her when she hissed at him.

Wendy knew what she was doing, Cristoff just needed to shut the hell up, the whelp wasn't going to defy her claim on her mate.

Cristoff moved then, nuzzling against Wendy who closed her eyes for a moment, humming at the wonderful soothing feeling of him. The whelp moved, pushing herself in between the adults, whining at Wendy, eyes soft now and Wendy let her nuzzle her face.

Once she'd gotten affection from Wendy the whelp snapped her head around and lunged at Cristoff, both claws grabbing his shoulders and she growled at him but Cristoff snarled at her, lunging back teeth bared and the whelp shrunk back, ducking her head, she was testing boundries…finding her place…

"Natsu, calm down, Wendy is the only Queen dragon…" Cristoff called as Natsu was growling and struggling to get free from Laxus and Freed.

The whelp looked from Wendy to Cristoff, tried once more to nuzzle into Cristoff but this time Wendy snarled at her, driving her back off of Cristoff who immediately submitted, turning his eyes down and tilting his head letting Wendys fangs hover over his neck right over the mating mark there, keeping his body relaxed.

Wendy nuzzled into him again and the whelp watched closely while Wendy showed her clear claim on Cristoff and Cristoff let her, keeping his head lower than hers, letting Wendy grabb a fistful of his hair and wrench his head around so she could kiss him fiercely with her eyes locked on the narrowed blue eyes of the whelp.

Ducking her head, making soft whining noises, the whelp approached again, nuzzling Wendys cheek while she kissed Cristoff until Wendy released her mates mouth and finally purred at the whelp.

The Dragon purred back, rubbing herself against Wendy eagerly, showing more enthusiasm than she had with any of the males.

"So…do each of us need to go through that?" Lucy asked, wide eyed, she'd felt the same discomfort as Levy when the whelp had been greeting Cobra.

"No…Wendy is the only Dragon Queen, she's a Dragon Slayer and the only one here who dominated and claimed her mate who is also a Dragon Slayer, so Wendy and Cristoff are the only pair of mated dragons, making them the natural alphas the whelp can look up to. Oh Gods I wish Emzadi were here, I can't wait to see how she reacts to an unmated female dragon slayer!" Freed replied enthusiastically, writing rapidly in the notebook he'd brought, he was cataloging everything that had just happened with a grin.

"Fuck that! I took care of the egg, she's my fathers daughter, my sister!" Natsu snarled and Freed had to drop his things against to help Laxus keep Natsu from rushing to where the whelp was still working things out with Wendy.

It was a fascinating back and forth between the two females, the whelp knew Cristoff was Wendys, scent alone told her that, and unlike among the males, respect for the claims of another female weren't just part of how female dragons behaved, it wasn't given, it was earned, and the whelp would happily have claimed what she saw as a powerful male to protect her as she grew without the hindrance of his mate dividing his devotion to her.

Until claimed female dragons often kept their own little harems of males that they would even sometimes breed with and produce small clutches until they finally found a male that could match them and survive the battle to become their true mate, with more than 10 males born for every one female, it was how dragon culture had developed.

From birth a female dragon sought to keep powerful males around her to protect her, usually her own sire and mother would do that, but in the absence of parents, the little dragons instincts told her she needed to gather protection around her and she could sense the bonds of kinship between these dragon slayers.

She also could sense that kinship did center on Wendy, a position she would have liked for herself. But Cristoff hadn't accepted her dominating him, making it clear he was Wendys and his loyalty was to Wendy first. Once the mated dragons accepted her in a submissive position though, she was happy and returned to the Dragon she sensed was closest to her, the most protective too.

Natsu fell to his knees as soon as she came to him. "She knows she's your sister Natsu. "Cobra said and Natsu looked up at the Poison slayer wide eyed, suddenly realizing that Cobra probably had the clearest picture of things, that the poison slayer could probably hear the dragons soul.

Cobra stood, pulling Lucy against him. "I can, and she's already fucking scary smart, it's like Freed said, she'd like to be the dominant female here, that's why she snubbed our mates, Wendy wouldn't let it go though because, well…Wendy's a Dragon too and her fucking dragon got pissed as hell over what little Ruby there was doing." The slayer chuckled, kissing Lucys temple when she frowned.

"Ruby?" Natsu frowned. Cobra blinked "Yeah…she uh…knows her name…Rubystraza…Ruby" Cobra shrugged.

Natsu looked into happy blue eyes, he could almost see Igneel reflected in them, could almost feel his father, the whelp smelled similar to his father too, that wonderful dragon scent.

"She'll need to feed at least once a week on magic, otherwise she'll eat other things too, mostly meat of course." Freed said.

"She can live with me…" Natsu was saying.

"Natsu…man…I told you, your house isn't there anymore, gone, burned to the ground." Laxus sighed.

Natsu frowned "Then where…" He breathed. "Our house." Wendy said firmly. "Until you can rebuild your house Natsu you can have a room in our house, it makes sense because you and Laxus will both be feeding her and Juvia is staying with Gray not far away." Wendy added watching both Cristoff and Laxus look pained over the idea but not caring.

"Yeah, that'll work…" Natsu said, not exactly happy about it, but seeing the necessity. Ruby had to have a home, and until he could rebuild his, Wendys would do.

"Ok, so some of you have a job to get to, Come on Natsu, bring the brat…" Laxus sighed, looking apologetically at Emma who smiled her serene smile. "I'm sorry…" He whispered to her when he reached her, She laughed softly "Don't be…this is the life I knew I was getting involved with when I fell in love with you." She replied, earning a smirk and a hug before Laxus led her and Natsu carrying Ruby into the guild hall.

Makarov grinned a few minutes later as he pulled the guild stamp from the dragons hip and the creature sniffed at the spot where a golden Fairy Tail symbol adorned her scales.

"Welcome to Fairy Tail Ruby." Makarov smiled.


	33. Chapter 33 Calm between storms

The team left pretty much on schedule, and returned two days later "Running down renegade Berserkers sounds like something we're going to be doing too much of." Bickslow groaned. Slumped in his seat, pieces of his armor were broken, he'd again have to hunt someone down who could repair them, the blacksmith he'd gone to before was still trying to get his forge and tools all remade.

"I gotta admit, seeing that one snatch you out of the sky and throw you around like a rag doll was a hell of a sight." Cobra said, sitting across from him as Erza sat beside him.

"Turned you on huh?" Bix asked, head still tilted back and eyes closed innocently.

"Not as much as it did the Berserker, he was all set to go ahead and ass rape you." Cobra said. It was…horrifyingly true actually. The berserkers had been blooded and lusted when they found them, in the process of tearing apart a group of unfortunate bandits that had been hiding along the road to Oshibana ready to prey on refugees, that had included raping both the men and women in that group, something Berserkers from Seven just seemed to be conditioned for, one of the ways Seven had meant to use to break the Fioran people.

Once the Berserker had ripped Bickslow off his babies after making a leap into the air the Seith hadn't thought was fucking possible since he was a good 30 feet in the air at the time, he'd thrown the Seith into a tree and stunned him, the man had fallen dazed and in pain to the base of the tree and the Berserker had been quick to grab him and start trying to get through his layers of clothing.

Bickslow wouldn't admit it but it had terrified the ever-loving shit out of him feeling that thing pinning him face down to the ground with a knee in the back of his neck while it tried to tear off his pants, its huge stinking cock poking him in the shoulder as it fought with his clothes.

The damn things didn't have a stitch of clothing on, the battle had been disturbing on a lot of levels.

Then Erza had flown in though, and then the fight had gone from terrifying to Bickslow to enraging him as the beast had, while still pinning him down under its massive body, fought Erza, batting aside most of her attacks and trying to grab one of her legs, when it finally had grabbed an ankle it had wrenched her from her feet and slammed her into the tree above Bickslow three or four times until it had dazed her beyond what it had done to Bickslow and laid her right on top of Bickslow and started tearing her clothes off.

That had been the end of Bickslows horrified shock. The babies had gone from darting around in a panic to focused by his fury in their Baryon formation and the Berserker had holes blasted through it so many times it was almost unrecognizable when it finally fell off of Bickslow and Erza.

The Seith had shoved it off and scrambled over to the Re-quip mage, gathering her to him and shoving his visor back so he could search her eyes and get a good look at her soul. It was that beautiful rose color still, glowing and securely wrapped around the golden thread he knew was him, the blue that was Jellal he was happy to see fading too, but the important thing was, she was dazed, not dying.

"Erza? Erza come on, talk to me kitten? WENDY!" He shouted, not giving a shit if he attracted one of the other Berserkers, if one of the fuckers came near them he'd fucking vaporize the asshole.

"She's busy…I got you, let me see her..." Cristoff was there and Bickslow had never been happier to see his little brother.

"I got her, help the others Bix, get the last one down." His brother said firmly and Bickslow shook his head, he could see Cobra and Gajeel had the last one well in hand, Gajeel trying to get its attention on him enough Cobra could get in a good swipe with his poison claws, Levy and Lucy behind him adding to the "bait" factor while Loke was blasting the thing trying to help Gajeel get it focused on them.

He wasn't letting Erza go, holding her in his lap, while Cristoff bent over her, focusing on a spot on the side of her head where her red hair was soaked in blood. She'd hit her head hard on the tree when the thing had been bashing her against it.

The group got the thing down, Wendy finally done helping Levy who had been staggering on a broken ankle after one of the things had caught her for a minute and started doing to her what the other had done to Erza. The Sky Slayer came up beside Cristoff, and went to work on Bickslow, forcing him to lean to one side so she could reach a gash in his leg from the things claws, something they knew would get infected incredibly fast if not handled immediately.

"This would be easier if you put Erza down Bix." Wendy chided gently. Bickslow said nothing, pressing his lips together unhappily and letting Cristoff pull Erza out of his arms and lay her down on the dirt while Wendy gently pushed at his helmet, trying to get it off of him so she could see where the blood running out from under it was coming from.

He pulled it off ignoring Wendys sharp inhalation of breath, eyes on he re-quip mage. If he hadn't been laying there in shock because the damn thing had knocked him senseless then started tearing at his clothes, if he'd fought back better, Erza wouldn't have gotten hurt.

"Quit it." Cristoff snapped, casting a glare in his direction as he healed the gash on Erzas head. Bickslow frowned at him "My fault, I should have reacted better when it grabbed me." He retorted.

"Bullshit, I saw what it did Bix, it beat you on that tree like a ragdoll, if not for that helmet I'd be scraping your brains off the fucking tree. It stunned you, you couldn't have reacted faster than you did. Even mage bodies aren't that fucking resilient and I'm a damn Dragon Slayer saying that, my body is tougher than yours and I wouldn't have done better." Cristoff responded, moving from the head injury to Erza clearly broken arm.

"I should have taken a perch faster, started blasting the fuckers to bits instead of flying around like an idiot." Bickslow snapped.

"Stop it, you were checking to see if there were more besides the three, now quit fidgeting, we wouldn't have even seen them if you hadn't been flying Bix." Wendy said firmly.

She was right, the Berserkers were just too well blended into their surroundings, covered in the stenches of the kills all around the area, the slayers couldn't distinguish their scents, if Bickslow hadn't spotted them they would have gotten the drop on the Fairy Tail mages.

The others joined them then, standing nearby waiting with slightly worried expressions. They all trusted Wendy and Cristoffs abilities, but they had all also seen what the berserker had done to the two mages.

Wendy finished the couple of ribs, cracked tibia, and broken wrist the Seith had suffered, sitting back then, watching her husband work, he'd taken Erza she knew because she was in far worse shape than he'd wanted his brother to know. He could still heal someone edged a little into death back to near full health and not really look like he'd worked hard, his ability to mask the strain the healing magic was on him was something Wendy was learning from him.

"If people, especially our Guildmates, see you struggling, straining to heal them, they can fight you, make your work even harder, even cause themselves more damage, so it's a crucial skill, one I'll never talk to you about in public or around anyone else, something we will only talk about when we're alone, but you need to learn it, you break out into sweats, make faces and noises when you heal, you have to stop doing that." He told her.

They had been laying on their couch at home, one of the few times they'd found some time alone together somewhere other than locked in their bedroom. He'd been teaching her to push against his magic, sort of like magical weightlifting in a way, trying to keep him from getting through her, it was a strength building exercise she'd grown to enjoy even though it made her tired pretty quick because he was so much stronger than she was.

He would lay back and she would lay on top of him and they would just stare into each others eyes and practice silently, sometimes stealing kisses, and almost every time the session would dissolve into heated sex because the magical wrestling they were doing was so intimate.

It was something unique between them, this merging of magic they could do, where she could lace all through his energy and he could do the same with hers, they were mastering it slowly, both equally new to it.

He never let up on her either, dedicated to seeing her stronger, determined she could surpass him at some point because she was a woman, and he could just sense that she had it in her to do so.

He loved her, so completely it staggered him at times. He'd never doubted he would fall in love one day, he'd seen so many women fall in love with him, with Kaleb, Farron, and Holy Gods they dropped like flies around Vander, he'd watched love happen, but hadn't ever been in love himself until Wendy.

She owned him, mind body and soul. Gods help him he was thrilled about it too.

So, Wendy watched her mate go through mending broken bones, repairing muscle, sinew, tendons, ligaments, and a couple of damaged organs and only she and Cristoff really knew just how much he had to do before Erza was stirring.

Bicklsow could only see her soul was there, intact, alive, not fading. He didn't know Erza had been received some serious crippling injuries…and he never would.

As soon as the re-quip mage stirred Bickslow was at her side, leaning over her while Cristoff got to his feet and helped Wendy to hers,

"Bickslow…" Erza frowned, eyes hazy for a few moments then they went wide and sharp and she tried to lunge upward but Bickslow caught her, arms going around her so she ran firmly into his chest instead of sitting all the way up.

"Easy there kitten, the bad guys are dead guys now so relax, you and that tree got way too friendly so take a minute ok?" He was smiling at her and she blinked, the others were all there, safe, just watching her.

The others moved off a bit and Erza blushed a little when Lucy gave her a knowing smirk. "Well we should get back, I am looking forward to meeting Ruby and I think Cristoff and Wendy are worried about their house." Erza said and Bickslow helped her to her feet.

Her blushing and glances at him though didn't go unnoticed.

They walked along behind the others heading back toward Oshibana, Bickslow keeping the babies entertained with a game where he would toss a rock and they had to find it and two more like it and bring them to him.

Some of the things they brought back were…interesting.

"So, your birthday is coming up, Laxus found the date in your file when we were lugging records from the broken file cabinets to the new ones." Bickslow said and Erza nodded "Yes, I will be 24." Erza replied calmly.

"We should go do something, how about you let me take you somewhere?" He suggested and Erza smiled, "Like…a date?" She asked almost hopefully. The two of them had gone out to eat many times, and gotten groceries, prepared meals together, cuddled on the couch, made out on the couch, but there had never been a formal date.

Bickslow smiled, catching her tone. "Yes a date, for your birthday, anywhere you want." He agreed. Erza bit her lip in excitement, an actual date! Gods, she had nothing to wear, the clothing stores weren't due to open for another week and her birthday was just two days away, three days before Thanksgiving in fact.

"I choose Dundams, and after I want Strawberry cake from Wessermans." She said decisively.

Bickslow smiled. He honestly enjoyed Erzas decisiveness, she was a direct, strong, driven woman who most of the time knew what she wanted and took no shit off of anyone about getting it for herself.

She only ever got flustered when the topic wandered over to anything concerning him, their relationship, kissing and sex. If she couldn't drop some dead pan answer, and he tried hard to make sure she was rarely in a position where she could, then she was at a loss, all blushes and looking away, shyness and just enticing, beautiful, painfully adorable woman.

"I love a woman that demands what she wants." He said and added another blush accomplished to his tally.

"Dundams is a night club though, they serve pretty good food I hear but I've only ever gone dancing there, have they re-opened?" He asked.

Erza nodded "They have, I saw a sign up…and…I would like to dance too, I know you can dance Bickslow, I've seen you many times, you're…very good. I can't claim any great skill or knowledge but with a strong partner…" She looked at him and he grinned "Well! We'll have to practice a little but we've got time, two days is enough…."

He shocked her then by grabbing her hand and pulling her around into him, before she even knew what was happening he had an arm around her, had one of her hands firmly in his and was tangoing her up the road until she started laughing.

Cobra looked at them like they were insane "The fuck Bix? Your head really hit that tree hard huh?" He called and Wendy and Lucy both giggled as Bickslow danced Erza along.

"You couldn't dance your way out of a fucking box snake licker." Bickslow declared. Cobra narrowed his eyes, he actually could dance, was fucking decent at it too, when they'd been in their cage they had all taken turns dancing with Sorano to keep her spirits up.

"It looks like fun." Wendy said a little wistfully, her tone wasn't lost on Cristoff, who, just like Bickslow, had gone through more than one dance class because their father wanted all of his children to be able to attend social functions with him when needed.

She was swept into her mates arms a moment later and was squealing in delight as he whirled her around.

Cobra rolled his eye, he couldn't let the other two show him up, and Lucy looked like she thought it was fun too so he took his mate into his arms and showed Bickslow he could, in fact, fucking dance.

So, they were all exhausted on the train ride home, but the reward had been substantial since the Berserkers had been picking off workers and without realizing it the team had stumbled on the bandits that had also been plaguing the town so they got a reward for that as well.

Erza tried to stay awake but all of the walking, fighting, getting injured and going through healing, which was always exhausting, had sapped her strength and left her reeling.

Bickslow was half nodding off himself when he felt her drift over against him and he smiled, lifting an arm up and around her to hold her to him and support her for the remainder of the ride.

He hated waking her up, but secretly loved how she looked when she was first coming to, blinking and lax lipped and sleepy eyed she was just beautiful.

Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

"Hey, you're sleep walking Amazon." Bickslow was smiling, the redhead leaning on him so heavily really was practically sleep walking. He was grateful his house wasn't all that far from the train station because he was pretty sure in another 100 feet or so Erza would be face down snoring in the snow without a care in the world.

"mm'not" came the muttered reply "Perfectly…lert" she added. Bickslow nodded "Uh huh, course you are. Right on top of things right?" He asked, guiding her up the few steps of the front porch.

"Right." Erza responded firmly

"Yeah, so we're going on a date for your birthday right?" He was hoping she'd stay upright long enough for him to unlock the front door, the babies were no help at all, they were snickering and snorting and making rude comments above the two mages.

She smiled "My first date, best present in the world, and I get to dance with you Bixy…" She murmured.

He smiled, managing to get the door unlocked and opened and get the babies to heft their luggage inside. And almost had Erza maneuvered through the door but she got in his way, pressing him against the doorframe just inside the door, leaning into him, her head tilted back, eyes nearly closed, plump lips parted, Bickslow almost groaned at the feel of it.

Were it not for her metal breastplate it would have been down right arousing. "I love the way you kiss Bixy." She said.

That got him.

"You do huh?" He asked, half amused half turned on. She nodded, it was almost like she was drunk, he'd met people like that, who got sort of "drunk" when they were exhausted. Deep magical healing could bring it on too, but Cristoff hadn't said Erza had needed heavy healing, hadn't really said anything about how much or how little she'd needed in fact.

"They make me feel all warm everywhere, you taste sweet, smell good, feel amazing…" She breathed out the last and Bickslow felt her reaching, but wasn't sure he should be kissing her when she was like this. Erza settled the matter though, reaching up, getting her hands into his hair and pulling his mouth down to hers.

For a kiss from a sleeping woman it was damn good and Bickslow emerged breathing harder than before, cheeks a little flushed and thinking he really needed to get the tired woman to her bed.

"Ok, come on kitten, time for bed." He said, scooping her up and stepping inside the house, kicking the door shut behind him he started for the staircase but staggered when Erza grabbed him again and kissed him.

He stood, drinking in the kiss and even kissing her back, though his hands were occupied holding her to his chest. "Yes…take me to bed Bickslow…" She breathed when she finally let him go and he could pull back enough to suck in a ragged breath.

Closing his eyes and digging deep for resolve he was fast losing track of he hurried up the stairs to her room and laid her down on her bed, "How do I get the armor off kitten so you can sleep?" He asked.

She smiled "Just ask me to take it off."

Bickslow felt a little better standing next to her bed than he had a moment before, humor was back into the situation again.

"Please take off the armor and tell me what you want to wear to bed kitten." He said softly.

"Mmm, all I want to wear is you." She chuckled and Bickslow grinned "Armor has to go sweet heart." He said, trying not to laugh.

She stunned him then, light flared and the next thing he saw was Erza, completely naked, smiling through mostly lidded eyes at him.

"Holy fuck…" He breathed.

Yes, they had had sex, it was even during the day, and he had seen her naked, in fact, he'd handled her best features thoroughly with his mouth and hands during that morning.

This was different though, she wasn't just Erza Scarlet, the enigma woman, the deadly beauty that had thrilled him for years. This was Erza Scarlet, the woman he was sort of dating, who he was growing real feelings for, who lived with him and ate meals and watched movies, joked and worked with him.

This was the woman he'd danced with on a cold road in the middle of nowhere, who had thrown herself into harms way and been injured trying to defend him just that morning.

He'd forced a man to make out with a napkin dispenser so he could kiss her in a diner, something he'd do again too if he saw the guy again.

So in a way, this wasn't the Erza he'd had casual sex with in Shirotsume, this was a different Erza…this was his Erza, the Erza he wanted more with. More time, more hugs, kisses, cuddles, laughs, more everything.

Laying naked on her bed smiling up at him like he was a piece of Strawberry cake or something.

"Gods….what you do to me woman.." and he knew, he couldn't just walk away, tired as she was she wasn't drunk, she was likely to remember this. So, he reached down and took her hand and bent over her to kiss her, and she moaned into his mouth and arched her beautiful body up into him and his whole being wanted nothing as much as to melt down into her arms, strip his clothes off and show her how happy he'd be to be all she wore to bed that night.

But he knew it wasn't right to do it, she was so far past exhausted she was acting drunk and he wasn't far behind her.

So he took the hand he was holding and slid it to his groin, let her feel what she'd done to him.

She gasped, eyes opening suddenly as she looked where her hand was now stroking over the hard bulge in his pants, nothing could really be seen well, her hand was between the flaps of the pale blue skirting he wore over his pants. But she could feel it, her fingers were tracing over it and he bit his lip when she smiled.

"See what you do…fuck Erza, I want you, but your exhausted baby and so am I, so stop driving me out of my mind and sleep, everything will happen when we're both ready." He told her hoarsely.

She blushed and withdrew her hand from him but caught his and pulled it right to her center and he couldn't even hope to stop the faint moan that he let out when he felt how wet she was, how much her center had heated up.

"You do the same thing to me Bickslow." She said and blinked up at him sleepily, releasing his hand that he withdrew slowly. She was asleep before he'd even straightened and he pulled the blankets over her, having to adjust himself so he could walk from the room and retreat downstairs to his own bedroom, swearing under his breath as he tore his clothes off and stalked into the bathroom.

There was no way in hell he'd sleep if he didn't relieve some of the pressure that had built up while Erza had been stroking him, so he stepped into a cool shower, ignoring how much it made his already bruised and battered body ache so he could take care of it, not that it would help that much but it was all he could do.

Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Wendy emerged from the bath smiling. She was tired, a little achy, and had wanted a bath too much to join Cristoff in the shower but she'd thoroughly enjoyed watching him.

His hair was past his shoulders now, she wouldn't let him cut, she loved it long and watching him lifting his arms up to rinse shampoo from those long black locks really got to her.

Her husband had an incredible body, a life as a Dragon Slayer, training in swords and halberds, hand to hand combat along with the weight lifting, all the walking done for missions, and then sheer genetics made for the muscular, well-toned and defined body she was letting herself openly stare at while he washed away a day of fighting and travel.

When he was done he grabbed a towel from the shelf beside the shower and ran it over his hair then the rest of him, at home, once in their master suite, he didn't bother wrapping a towel around his waist, he wasn't shy and knew his wife liked looking at him as much as he liked looking at her.

Towel tossed in the hamper he ran a brush through his hair before finally turning to her where she was laying back in the steaming tub watching him. He smirked at her flushed face and heated expression.

Yes, he was cocky, yes, he was far too used to being touched by women, admired by them, so used to it he didn't even notice it unless it was her anymore. She supposed that was a good thing, he couldn't have cared less if women stared at him, but if she did he always seemed to pick it up and search for her eyes.

Lucy sometimes had the same problem with Cobra, and Levy complained about it with Gajeel sometimes, Wendy imagined Emma had to deal with it too. Their men were attractive, add in the predatory, primal edge that came with being Dragon Slayers and women just were naturally drawn to them.

It had bothered Wendy a lot from the first moment she'd met Cristoff, instantly wanted him, felt the connection to him. However, she had blossomed, was a buxom woman herself now, her hair deep dark blue and hanging in silken locks to her shoulders.

She smirked inwardly, watching him get the last tangles out of his hair. His was longer than hers now, something that did bother him, he wanted to cut his back up to where it just brushed his shoulders like it had when she had first met him but she'd asked him not to and she loved that he wanted her happy to the point he dealt with it and left it longer.

Now men noticed her a good bit, and she'd heard Cristoffs warning growls, seen him react to men admiring her. He made light of it, but he was no different than Cobra, who had poisoned a man at the inn they'd stayed at in Oshibana for making lewd comments about Lucy.

Wendy had gone by the same group of men and while Cobra had apparently dipped a poisoned claw into one mans drink as he'd passed, Cristoff hadn't been as subtle, coming in a little behind Wendy, watching his wife cross the tavern area he'd heard the man next to the one saying things about Lucy make an equally lewd comment about Wendys body and Cristoff, coming along behind her, had grabbed the man by the back of the head and slammed his face into the table, knocking him out cold and stepping over his body as he'd fallen from his seat. His friend had started to move after Cristoff but then had clutched at his throat, gagging, and gasping as what Cobra had done hit him.

Both men had flatly refused to reverse what they had done until Lucy and Wendy had both gotten very demanding about Cristoff not leaving the man on the ground with a broken nose and fractured cheekbone and Cobra not letting the other struggle with a debilitating poison in his system, even if Cobra insisted it would wear off in a couple of days.

So, Wendy had to admit, her mate was dealing with the same issue she had to and he was trying to notice when women got too handsy with him. Bickslow had pointed out repeatedly, and Kaleb and the other Boscans helping with reconstruction had backed Bix and Crisoff up when they had insisted it was pretty normal in Bosco.

"Men like Cristoff have three choices, learn to be patient about it, get married young or take an oath of celibacy and wear the robes of the monks of Divine Light. Unpromised men like Cristoff are simply desirable, so they get approached a lot, touched a lot. Now that his ring is on him, you could sit him in a beer hall in White Sea and the woman would leave him alone, they would still openly admire him, might even ask you questions about how good he is in bed and if you wish to share him, but they wouldn't push past that." Gaza had laughed when Wendy had complained about Cristoff not seeming to notice a woman that was staring at him until she had come up and put her hand right on his ass.

Then he'd reacted by stepping from her, but he hadn't rejected her as firmly as Wendy wanted him to, which was apparently also due to his upbringing. In Bosco, him simply telling a woman approaching him he was married would send the woman away or to Wendy to see if she would share, he wasn't used to women in Fiore, where adultery wasn't punishable by death and divorce was legal because it wasn't in Bosco.

In Bosco, commitment was serious, honor was held above happiness. If someone cheated they were seen as dishonorable, weak, pathetic, unable to work to keep themselves happy in the vows they had taken and therefore…worthless to Boscan society, a threat to its strength. Adulterers were put to death, divorce was illegal. Men who committed rape were castrated and had their dicks cut off in public, women who did it were forcibly put through a disfigurement surgery that ended their ability to ever orgasm or get pleasure from sex again. Bosco held no stigmas, prejudices or religious hang ups about people having sex as long as they kept things honorable in respecting marriage, promises of it, and respected another persons right to choose.

So, a woman continuing to come on to him after he told her he was married simply didn't register for Cristoff as a possibility, if she'd done it in Bosco she could face charges and jail time, forced counselling. But in Fiore…well, it happened more than anyone wanted to openly admit, so did cheating, adultery and other things Bosco didn't have much issue with.

When he turned and smiled at her, his midnight colored eyes just a little lighter than normal, telling her that her staring had turned him on, and Gods did she love how easy it was to tell that with him, she smiled back.

"Don't make me wait long Love, I might fall asleep." He warned and she grinned, watching him walk from the room to their bedroom.

She wanted to soak longer, but desire for her husband won out and she opened the tubs drain and came out of the bathroom toweling her hair to smile, he laid on the bed on his back, both hands up behind his head, he was dozing, near asleep and waking him was always a chore when he was tired.

Smiling she tossed her towel aside and threw the blankets aside climbing over him eagerly, grasping his soft cock in her hand and grinning when his eyes shot open and silver started taking the place of the dark blue in them.

"No..." She pushed his wrist back up by his head when he started to bring his hands down, smiling "keep your hands there…" She purred.

He smiled closing his eyes as he swiftly hardened in her hand while she stroked him. "You know, this…you on top of me…only you have ever done that with me, only you ever will too." He said.

She smiled "Really?" He opened his eyes and they were silvery, just the barest hint of blue at the out edges now "Only you have ridden me, dominated me like this, I've never allowed any other woman to do it until you." He affirmed and she smiled, leaning down and kissing him.

"What about Kurino?" She teased. She knew the Boscan royalty had the right to ask for sex from any unpromised citizen, and that Kurino had seriously wanted Cristoff, had even made a marriage request to his father for him more than once. He'd had to "entertain" the princess and her somewhat violent sexual tastes a few times, once right before he had come to Magnolia.

Wendy honestly didn't like Kurino one bit, though she grudgingly admitted things would have been so much worse for Fiore had the Boscan princess not been so determined to keep Fiore a sovereign kingdom and ally to Bosco.

Knowing Kurinos tastes for bondage and pain it seemed unlikely the Princess wouldn't have wanted to dominate Cristoff.

"I could not refuse her request for sex, but I got to say how she could take me. I never let her or her handmaids ride me, they were never on top of me." He said.

Wendy frowned "Then how would she get her…enjoyment? I mean, Kaleb said she's ridden him until he couldn't breathe." Cristoff smirked "Are you sure you want to talk about this? You really want to know how the princess had sex with me?" He gave her a doubtful look and she tightened her hand on him and he hissed through his teeth.

"Fine! She would chain me up, arms over my head, me kneeling on the bed and she would whip me until I was bleeding and breathing hard, then she would climb me, wrap her legs around me and have me that way, or back up to me and I would fuck her from behind, sometimes she only wanted me to use my mouth. Comfort wasn't something she cared about." He told her.

Wendy cringed a little "Ok…I didn't want to know that, you were right….but I don't want pain….I just want…submission" She said, eyes narrowing and Cristoff smiled as she positioned him then sank onto him, savoring his moan of pleasure and biting her lip to keep from releasing one of her own as he filled her.

She was growing to enjoy dominating him, he didn't let her often, sometimes they would even wrestle, fall into deliciously draconic displays of dominance with each other and he'd end up taking her roughly, but sometimes, like now, he would…barely…allow her to have her way with him.

He bared his teeth and growled when she grabbed his wrists and slammed them back down over his head when he reached for her.

It thrilled her, feeling him tense, seeing defiance, power, ferocity flash in his eyes even as she was riding his body, taking her pleasure from him wantonly. "Stay!" she growled back at him and his answering snarl, his lunge forward, grasping her lower lip with his teeth just thrilled her more.

There was a soft growl and Wendy whipped her head around, meeting pale blue eyes. Ruby had crept into their room somehow, likely drawn by the sounds and scents of them coming into the house after everyone was asleep.

The whelp was keenly watching and Wendys dragon started getting rough on Cristoffs body then, holding his wrists, she bared her teeth at the whelp and Ruby lowered her head showing her acceptance of Wendys dominance.

That the curious whelp didn't leave though bothered Wendy who looked at Cristoff. He clenched his teeth as she came down on him again, it was rare they passed a night without sex yet his wife still was almost painfully tight on him at times. He saw the whelp, and, managed a tight smile at Wendy "Keep going, let her watch, seeing the alpha female dominating her mate just drives home your position…besides, you feel so fucking good…" He smirked then, thrusting his hips up into her to get her moving again "So take me Wendy, or I'll get to show off my dominance over you." He was teasing, she knew he was, but her dragon reacted to the challenge strongly, likely because of the presence of the whelp whose scent was strong in the house now.

Wendy took him, not since they had mated had she dominated her mate so hard, fucking him like this wasn't common for her, she liked more languid play, or rough wrestling where it wasn't certain who had really "won". Cristoff was a well-endowed man, thick, and he filled her so much this way. Dominating him didn't really fit her public personality. But she enjoyed it, couldn't say she didn't when she finally came on him and felt him come inside of her.

Ruby climbed to the bed on the far side, crawling on her belly, eyes low head turned so part of her neck was bared. She didn't try to approach them, just lay down there, watching as Wendy laid down on Cristoffs heaving chest.

Wendy nuzzled into his neck, pushing her face into his thick black hair without acknowledging Ruby and the little whelp inched closer, remaining submissive in posture.

"She wants to greet us, we're the alpha pair and we've been gone, but I'm betting she knows what we were just doing." Cristoff chuckled. Wendy nodded lifting herself a little to caress his face, nuzzle against him more and making soft noises of affection that had the little whelp keenly interested.

"Mmm, good idea…show her we love each other, it's not just dominance and fucking." He breathed, he sat up, pushing his hands into Wendys hair and kissing her, rolling her to her back and rumbling his own soft sound.

Wendy loved it, her dragon was purring inside her, so pleased with this it made her giddy. Draconic displays of affection, Cristoff had been showing them to her since they had mated, reading about them to her from a Boscan book he had on Dragons.

So far not a thing they'd done copying from the book hadn't given Wendy the deepest most profound feelings of affection, pleasure, comfort or stirred her inner dragons strong approval.

Ruby positioned herself on Wendys pillow beside the couple and watched, sometimes purring herself and making approving little sounds, finally, overcome with a need to be a part of what she was watching, sensing how much the two adults were enjoying themselves she made a soft whimpering noise and ran her nose against Wendys cheek.

Wendy looked at her and nuzzled her back and, watching Wendy carefully, Ruby then reached up to rub against Cristoff who, for the first time since the whelp had met Wendy, nuzzled her back, lifting his hand to stroke over her folded wings and the whelp purred, making a little warbling sound and curling in against Wendys neck.

Cristoff smiled at his mate and moved to lay beside her, facing each other, the whelp taking soft pets and nuzzles from them both and returning them happily, they both fell asleep with Ruby tucked up against them.

Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxooooooxoxoxoxoxo

Erza sat at the bar, smiling, eating her lunch and contemplating Natsu who had Ruby and was playing with her having already spent the morning clearing the area where his house had burned down. Materials were in place, Cristoff and Wendy were going to help Natsu start rebuilding his home tomarrow.

The little dragon was the new love of Fairy Tail and everyone was learning how to behave right around her so she didn't learn bad habits that could make her deadly when she was more than 100 feet long and taller than the guild hall.

Lucy slid into the seat beside her, leaning back as Cobra walked by to grab him by his collar and kiss him, earning a smirk from her mate before he went to sit with the Raijinshuu.

Mira appeared with a strawberry smoothie for Lucy and the blonde cast a sidelong glance at Erza who set her fork down and went ahead and gave her friend her attention.

"Yes Lucy? You seem to want to say something to me." She prodded and Lucy smiled.

"Just wondering where your boyfriend is and why you're looking so happy, you two finally make it official yet?" She asked. Erza frowned slightly

"Make what official and I don't think Bickslow would consider himself my boyfriend…" she started to object but was interrupted by the man in question having entered the guild hall.

He'd gone to get his armor in for repairs so had split off from Erza for a while since she was eager to get to the guild, Mira had the new cakes from Wessermans in.

He came right up to her, "Hey Cosplayer, Mira! Can I get a burger and a beer?" He called, Mira smiled at him "Right away Bickslow."

The Seith leaned past Erza and snatched a french fry from her plater before smiling at Lucy and taking his mug from Erza. Before turning and heading to the Raijinshuus table he smiled at Lucy "I DO consider myself Amazons boyfriend." He whispered, gave Erza a pinch on the ass and managed to dodge her angry swipe as the re-quip knights face turned red.

Lucy laughed, hugging her blushing friend half to reassure her she thought it was wonderful, and half to keep her from going over and killing her recently acquired boyfriend.

"Man….you really like living dangerously Bix." Cobra snickered as Bickslow took his seat at the table. Facing the bar so he'd know if his girlfriend decided to make a go at retribution for that pinch.

He knew it was pushing his luck, she didn't tolerate a lot of things like that, but one, it was thrilling, two, he was sort of getting a feel for their boundaries and finally, he just really liked touching her ass.

"I don't just laugh at danger…I fucking date her." Bix grinned, taking a drink from his mug.

Cobra snorted, shaking his head. Mira came over bearing Bickslows lunch and also sat a plate in front of Cobra and a tall glass of something iced and he gave the barmaid a curious look, "I didn't order anything Demon." He said, though his mouth was watering looking at the plate.

"No but Lucy did, Eggplant Parmesan with nightshade and an Appleseed iced tea." Mira said with a smile. Cobra smiled catching his mates eye and she winked at him and mouthed "You love me" at him. Fuck did he ever.

"Thanks Mira, tell Lucy he loves her because he never fucking says it." Bix said earning a dark look from the slayer that didn't last because he'd taken a drink of the iced tea and almost moaned it was so good.

"So Boss, you bout done with your extended fuckfest so we can take a job some time?" Bickslow asked, ignoring Evergreen swatting the back of his hood with her fan as she and Elfman came to the table.

Laxus rolled his eyes, Emma was already at work in her shop, the rebuilt Guild had included an expansion of what she'd had before, giving her much more space and a store actually built to be a potion shop instead of a converted espresso bar like she'd had before, she opened at 8am five days a week and had zero interest in going on any jobs even though her magic was nicely stable now.

"Next week we'll take a couple there's a lot still happening out by Peace Village, I need to see if Wendy, Cristoff or both of them can come with us though, double s-class rated work clearing out some more Sevenese and their fucking pets. Jura said they could use the help and asked if we could bring one of our healers." He replied.

"Great, so we wont miss a certain ladies birthday or Thanksgiving." The Seith smiled.

Laxus nodded and Evergreen leaned in "You're set up to keep her busy right?" The fairy mage asked in a whisper.

"Yep, taking her out to Dundams tomarrow, I'll have her here at 9 for the party." Bickslow replied.

Evergreen smiled, sitting back down and leaning on Elfman as Mira brought over a big plate of food for her brother and a salad covered with strawberries for Evergreen.

Laxus eyed Bickslow "So I heard you right, you and Titania are officially dating?" He asked. Evergreen choked on her first bite, Elfman slapping her back with concern and nearly bowling her over.

"Yeah, we kinda decided a while ago really, just eased into it, but yeah, since I am officially taking her on a date for her birthday, yeah, dating." Bickslow replied.

"Thank God, you need to start banging her though, you let that tension build any higher and she's gonna rip you in two when you finally get to it." Cobra said nluntly. Evergreen choked on her salad again, Laxus snorted and Bickslow gaped at the Poison Slayer for a moment.

"Dude…seriously?" Bix shook his head and Cobra shrugged "I ain't apologizing, you're frustrating Titania, which means she'll either take it out on you or one of us, I'd prefer you, so you need to start giving that woman what she wants. What's the hold up anyway, you fucked her up in Shirotsume already."

Bickslow rolled his eyes behind his visor. "Not everyone fucks their partner round the clock Snake Licker." Bix retorted.

Cobra smirked at him "No, Lucy and I are special that way, but you haven't been laid since you fucked Titania over losing that bet and she hasn't either, now I don't think that's as rough on her as it should be for you considering how prolific you've always been in that area but I can tell you, that womans soul is spending most of its time thinking of all the different ways she wants to fuck your brains out Soulsucker, and I'm kinda not into having her frustration transmitted into my head when I'd rather be daydreaming about fucking my own mate so get on it." Cobra snapped and everyone at the table, and Freed who had just walked up and was now standing staring in shocked amazement dropping his book and almost the tall drink in his hand, stared at the Poison slayer who went back to finishing off his lunch and enjoying his iced tea.

Bickslow snapped his mouth shut, blinked a couple of times, grabbed his mug and downed the rest of his beer. "Well allright then…" He said, stood and everyone at the table watched him walk back to the bar, his totems trailing behind him.

Erza had been dealing with Mira and Lucy teasing her lightly about her boyfriend.

"Well at least you didn't go through the awkward stage of getting comfortable sleeping together. Not that it took long for Cobra and I but still, you had that taken care of before you two started getting more into each other." Lucy said.

Erza bit her lip and Mira frowned "Erza?" The bar maid prompted.

Erza sighed "Bickslow and I haven't had sex since Shirotsume." She admitted.

Lucy and Mira stared at her in amazement.

Wendy was just sliding into the seat beside Lucy, Cristoff walking past heading for the masters office when Erza said it.

Cristoff frowned, halting in his tracks and looking toward the Raijinshuu table. If he had a beautiful willing woman he had feelings for, it wasn't like his brother not to act, quite the opposite, it was more like Bickslow to take headlong plunges with both eyes closed.

Wendy gave him a warning look though and he resumed his pace to the masters office, he'd talk to Bickslow later and leave the women to talk with Erza.

"Do you want to have sex with him?" Wendy asked and Erza looked sharply at the younger woman.

"Of course I do." She replied.

Honestly, for the last week it had been almost all she thought about. When they'd been in Oshibana for the job with the others they had shared a room for a night because everyone had just made the assumption they were sleeping together. Bickslow had smiled, not said much, when she'd looked flustered he'd gone back down after everyone else had turned in and gotten himself his own room.

The thing was Erza had wanted nothing as much as for the Seith mage to share that bed with her. She'd wanted to say as much, but being forceful and direct with Jellal had obviously been a turn off or he wouldn't have fucked her and turned around and married Meredy.

So Erza held her tongue, as hard as it was for her, because as badly as she wanted Bickslow, she wanted to keep the delicate connection she knew was growing between them too much to risk blowing everything like she clearly had done with Jellal.

So, when the topic came up, even as flirty and willing as Bickslow seemed to be, she would get flustered keeping herself from acting on her desires and just let him make the choices. It was so against her nature it ate at her but she wasn't going to lose the only man who had ever made her feel like she was a woman, not just a warrior.

Bickslow had done that for her too, and so much more. He wasn't afraid of her, wasn't intimidated by her, hell he'd even pinched her ass and she'd been tempted to get up and beat him senseless for that but the fact he'd wanted to touch her, had felt he could, had made her happy.

It was strange, foreign, uncomfortable and Erza was left in an increasing state of flustered frustration over the whole situation.

They had made out a few times, and each time her hopes soared that he was going to keep going, his hands always felt so good, his kisses made her mind fuzzy and she always managed to get her hands under his clothes to his smooth warm skin and that always delighted her, she longed to feel that skin against hers again. She would just get him to where he was getting hard, she'd do something, unable to restrain herself, like run her hand over him or grind her hips into his and that was it, he'd stop, back off, tell her they didn't have to go there yet.

She was terrified he didn't really want to have sex with her, because if that was the case, well, then she would know it was entirely her, she was as undesirable as a woman as she'd come to fear she was after Jellal had left her.

It was horribly confusing, he seemed to care about her. She yearned for the affection he gave, just wanted more of it. After Shirotsume she had thought she'd get over that, hoped getting the "release" Cana had talked about would ease the loneliness and feelings of inadequacy she carried since Jellal had dumped her.

But then she'd sat and watched the others, partcularily Cristoff and Wendy. Bickslows brother was an openly affectionate man, and not shy about pulling his mate into hugs, kissing her, murmuring sweet things to her, and Erza had heard the soft things he'd say, and even though a lot of it was in Boscan, the tone was unmistakable and she'd been aching for someone to be that way with her.

Wendy had just bloomed, come strongly into her own with Cristoff loving her like he did, and the young woman proudly would walk with her head high, as comfortable in her womanhood as Lucy or Mira or any of the others while Erza was left feeling like a rejected beast.

Bickslow delivered, though on a smaller scale than his brother, yet she sensed a wealth of it lay there in him and he was holding it back, he would kiss her, hold her, cuddle with her and she loved every moment of it, but he would keep his distance too.

One moment respecting her space even when he did things like leaning over her and stealing food off her plate to pinching her butt.

She blushed too remembering last night, she'd been so tired she could barely function and had said things she shouldn't have, things that were pushy and could have ruined everything, she cringed remembering, but then she also remembered him bending over her, kissing her, putting her hand on him so she could feel that hardness and telling her it was all her, she did that to him, made him want her.

She cringed again, she'd pulled his hand right down to her damp center, almost moaned feeling his fingers curl against her, so he knew he did the same thing to her.

She'd hoped it would be enough, she was tired but not dead, she would have joyfully wrapped herself around Bickslow for at least one wonderful go at him before she couldn't function anymore. But he'd withdrawn, and this morning had acted no differently than any other day.

"You should just tell him, I know Cristoff likes when I go after him." Wendy smiled.

Lucy bumped fists with the younger woman. "Yep, Cobra too. Be honest, let him know, he's your boyfriend now Erza, be open with him." Lucy agreed.

Erza smiled thinly, ready to head out for a walk or something to clear her head but warm hands settled on her hips and the spicy masculine scent of Bickslow caught her.

"Hey kitten, wanna take a walk?" It was soft, low, really meant only for her but Lucy and Mira were close and Wendy was a Dragon Slayer so they all heard him and Lucy winked at Erza who drew a breath, slid from her seat and walked with the Seith mage out of the guild.

He stuck with light topics, jokes she smiled at, a couple she laughed at and they wound their way back home, once inside he shocked her by pulling her down onto the couch with him and kissing her. It was just one of the sweet chaste kisses, but it got her attention.

"Ok, somewhere along the way we got messed up in how we communicate it seems. Do you remember last night?" He asked, she blushed and he smiled "I'll take that as a yes." He chuckled.

"I was tired, I behaved badly, I'm sor…" He kissed her again cutting her off.

"Yes to the tired, no you didn't behave badly, you had me so turned on I didn't know which way was up for a while and since I thought we established in the diner we were pretty much an item, it's ok for you to come on to me Erza…fuck…I wish you'd do it more. I'm supposed to be your boyfriend right?" He was smiling, there was no criticism, no anger, she kept half expecting it but it didn't come.

She nodded, smiling faintly "and I'm your girlfriend…I…I just have never been that to someone before." She admitted.

Bickslow nuzzled into her, kissing along her neck until she sighed and he smiled. "I've never been someones boyfriend before either, never have dated, I just fucked around a lot, got used a few times. But we are dating Erza, and I want you, and I want you to let me know if you want me, because I've sort of been picking up your flustered and nervous but I thought you wanted to back off, go real slow, and I'm willing to if that's what you want but you need to tell me, Cobra reads souls and my brother Kaleb reads minds, not me." He was smiling, cuddling her, holding her and she felt so good, so safe and wanted and cared about in his arms.

"I want you Bickslow, I want to sleep in the same bed as you, kiss you, tear your clothes off and have sex with you and I want to be held, kissed, all of the other things, I want all of it…." She admitted, hoping it wasn't too much. She'd overstepped boundries without meaning to with Jellal, she prayed she wasn't doing so with Bickslow.

"Well then…" He whispered

He kissed her again, this time long, slow, hot, his tongue pushing into her mouth, his hands settling on her ass and centering her on top of him and he pressed her against him rolling his hips up into her and she groaned into his mouth, her hands shoving his shirt from his pants so she could get to skin.

"Sei, Anelei kietah…" He whispered against her neck and she shuddered, having no idea what he'd said but the tone made her body quiver.

"I love that…I've heard Cristoff talk like that to Wendy…." Erza breathed. Bickslow smirked "You like Boscan hmm? Mei Sen…." He purred the last two words and Erza smiled lunging in to kiss him fiercely.

They parted for air panting a few moments later and Bickslow was tugging her white blouse loose from her skirt "So…I whisper things to you in Boscan…you get all hot and bothered huh?" He was smiling at her, mischief in his eyes and she smiled right back fearlessly "tell me what it means and maybe more than the sound will turn me on." She challenged, Bickslow pursed his lips and nodded, then leaned in to kiss her neck.

"Anelei is…hmm…feminine, lovely, Sei makes it possessive and is also indicative of petite size and kietah is kitten." He explained between kisses.

Erza smiled, re-quipping out of her blouse and bra and smiling more when the Seiths breath hitched. Bickslows eyes widened, presented suddenly with an expanse of creamy porcelain skin, full, round and perfect breasts he almost drooled a little before ducking his head to seal his mouth over one rosey peak while one of his hands palmed the other.

So…he whispered sweet nothings in Boscan and explained what they meant and she lost clothing to reward him? He could barely wrap his head around the wonder that was Erza.

"Mei Sen…" He breathed, it was a little more intimate, but he meant it and hoped she could tell he did "Mei is possessive, in Boscan it is what you hold dear…Sen…is heart." He said softly and Erza ground against him, already mewling and making soft sweet sighing sounds as he lavished attention on her breasts. She was then…naked on top of him.

In more than a little awe, and now hard to the point it hurt, Bickslow needed little coaxing from Erza to yank his shirt and hoodie off over his head and give her access to his skin which she greedily took advantage of, lunging in and skimming her teeth over the tattoo that ran down from his shoulder over his right pec and down his side, his clan symbols.

It felt far better than he'd expected it to and drew a moan out of him he couldn't stop, that along with her hands feverishly working to open his jeans, shoving them down his legs was starting to cloud his thinking, push him past rational into at the mercy of lust.

But it didn't matter, they wanted each other, this wasn't meaningless sex, no bets, just a want, a need for each other that had been growing stronger day by day. It wasn't just physical either, Bickslow genuinely had fun with Erza, enjoyed her company, she was so plain spoken, so dead pan honest she made Freed seem coy.

But he loved that about her, because he was such the opposite of that, and she seemed to get him, sometimes trying so hard not to laugh at something he'd said or done she looked like she was in pain and fuck it, he loved that too, her little "I will not encourage him by responding in a positive way" face.

She seemed unflappable, yes he could stun her, and he almost lived for making her blush, but at the end of the day, she could handle him, wasn't put off by him and didn't get angry much with him even when he was at his worst.

He was that for her too, it wasn't a one sided thing at all, he wasn't intimidated by her, didn't let her threats or sometimes violent reactions deter him in the least from flirting, teasing, treating her like the gorgeous woman she was.

He didn't let swords and other weapons stop him from pulling her into hugs either, Cristoff had now laughingly healed a few injuries he'd gotten doing that, a couple relatively serious ones too.

"Shit….ah!...perfect…yes….let go Kitten…" He breathed as she ran her hands over him, bit his shoulder, slid her wet core over his erection wantonly.

Erza was panting, all but consumed in Bicklows kisses, his touches, the feel of him, once their clothes were gone she was about mad wanting to taste every part of him, touch him, make him moan, hear him call her kitten, which she truly did love.

They almost fell off the narrow couch and that was enough for Bicklow, he slowly sat up, gathered Erza to him and got to his feet. She wrapped herself around him as he carried her down the hall into his room.

She hadn't seen it since they had painted, before the furniture went in, respecting his space, but his bed, a huge king size with an ornate slatted dark wooden headboard, charcoal colored comforter, black sheets, there was even a pelt off of some sort of large animal draped over the foot of the bed that was black and silver.

The walls were a pale gray, the floor was dark wood with a dark gray rug under the bed.

To the right of the bed was a dresser, a large one, dark wood like the bed with a huge mirror that spanned its whole length and was almost as high as the ceiling.

He laid her back on the bed, following her onto it, smiling down at her "You're ready for this? It's not just play for me this time you know…this means something to me…if it doesn't to you….I want to wait." He said and Erza smiled, pulling him into her arms.

"It means more than I can say Bickslow…" She breathed and he was kissing her again.

"I want you to let go with me Erza…be the woman I see in there…you wont scare me off, trust me." He said and she almost wanted to cry, that was the final thing, the thing she really had been holding in, the worry about limits, how much of her he really wanted and if he wanted her to let go, she would trust him when he said it wouldn't scare him off.

Their play then wasn't soft, it wasn't slow. Erza had never in her life been able to just let her passion run wild and she threw caution to the wind, trusted Bicklsow, tore into him like she was half crazed with need because, well…she was.

Bu for every time she pinned him, slammed his wrists down on the bed, wrestled to get on top of him, he'd twist that agile body of his, exploit his greater size and reach, and manage to gain control again and when he finally rammed himself abruptly into her weeping core they both were already long since panting and sweating with lusty predatory expressions on their faces.

His pace, the force of his thrusts matched her demands and she was snarling, screaming, moaning, legs clamping around him so tight he was sure he'd be bruised, he knew some of her bites and scratches were going to leave some serious marks, but he'd left plenty on her beautiful creamy skin too.

The comforter was mostly on the floor, the sheets twisted around their legs as Bickslow held on to the upper hand and plowed into Erzas body as hard and fast as he was able, and she was engulfed by heated pleasure "More! I want more!...ah! Bix!" She was gasping and he heard her, pressing one of her legs up, opening her further so he could plunge deeper into her body while the heel of her other foot dug into the back of his left thigh and she kept meeting his thrusts with wild abandon.

She almost thrashed in his hold, her red hair splayed and tangled all over the black sheets her nails digging into his skin until she finally screamed out her end. His name coming out of her in a ragged gasp and when her body started to spasm through its rocking orgasm, Bickslow had no hope of lasting through it and gave himself over to it, spilling himself into her, clenching his teeth and making a ragged sound.

He slid down then, exhausted, and she was turning in to get her arms around him, press herself greedily into him body so she could be held, unconcerned that they were both breathless and slick with sweat.

"Wow…" Erza breathed and Bickslow managed a weak smile "Yeah…world…rocked Mei Kietah." He panted and she giggled. Giggled, Erza Scarlet giggled, and he was delighted, and had he a shred of energy left at that moment he would have pursued more of that sound from her but right then, he needed to catch his breath, because she was already running a hand down his side, already tracing the contours of his upper body, and he could see the hunger in her eyes.

One thing was certain…they would never be bored in the bedroom.

Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxooxoxoxoxooxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

Erzas birthday dawned ice cold but sunny and Bickslow, because of their activities the night before, had no trouble at all keeping her at home. He had unleashed a hellcat not a kitten in the bedroom.

Erza was insatiable, a woman of deep, powerful, staggering passion who had never had a chance to really embrace herself, experience it, with someone who not only accepted it, but enthusiastically participated and encouraged her.

Her smiling laughing boyfriend was delighted by everything she wanted, even when she tied him down on the bed and tormented him for more than an hour before finally straddling his hips and riding him to completion.

He showed her how much fun ice and hot rocks could be too, delighting that side of her that just so badly needed to explore the sorely neglected wickedness in her.

He pulled out one of her presents, early, he'd meant to share it with her when they got home, after the surprise party he was pretty sure she wasn't expecting and when she opened the box and the decadent heavy smell of dark chocolate wafted over her her eyes lit up.

"Ah, no, don't just eat it…let me show you kitten." He smiled, breaking off a piece, "This is Boscan kissing chocolate, to really taste it you have to share it. I melt it on my tongue, once it's melted…you lick it off. It will pick up the person who melts it, their natural essence, and you'll taste that with the chocolate." He smirked and her eyes sparked with eagerness as she snatched the piece from him and pushed it into his mouth.

A few moments later he pulled her to him, lips slanting over hers and she glided her tongue over his as soon as his lips opened for her, moaning loudly, absolutely overwhelmed as the rich dark chocolates bitterness, mixed with the cinnamon and scotch flavor unique to Bickslow filled her mouth and exploded over her tongue.

Before either were even ready to stop their fun together he had to herd her into the bathtub to start getting ready to go out.

She opted to retreat upstairs and so he had the chance to shower quickly and steal a call to Lucy to confirm timing for the evening.

"Your brother and Cana got in a couple of hours ago, Holy Shit Bix, they went a little overboard, but Erzas going to flip!" Lucy laughed. "Good, she deserves it." Bickslow said firmly.

He hurried into his dark grey slacks, a black turtleneck and sweater then his dark grey sport jacket.

He sighed at his hair, there wasn't a trace of his old trihawk anymore, he'd lost it really on the job in the Heavens Gate club and just never gone back to it because with all of the chaos maintaining an over the top hairstyle had lost it's importance.

He needed to get it cut again, he'd have to check and see if his old salon was back in business again yet. Right now he was starting to catch up to fucking Cristoff and he'd be damned if he did the long hair thing.

He swept into the kitchen, cleaning up some of the mess he and Erza had made trying to make breakfast while playing way too much with each other. He smiled…Gods help him, she was more of a dream than a woman to him, more and more, the better he knew her the more incredible he found her to be.

He heard her clear her throat and smiled, leaving the kitchen to lean on the edge of the island where he could see the stairs and he whistled. She'd said she had found something in her re-quip store she could wear tonight. The Red dress hugged her body down to mid-thigh, had slits that went daringly high. Knee high heeled red boots and a white coat and he was grinning like an idiot watching her come down the stairs.

"Worth waiting for?" She asked smiling. He slid his arms around her, pulling her firmly against him "definitely. I'm gonna have to bring the babies so I can shoot down all the assholes who will be hitting on my girl." He said. She grinned "I have swords and armor a simple re-quip away."

He leaned down and kissed her 'Gods your sexy when you're lethal…" he breathed.

Xoxoooooooxoxoooxoxoxooooxxxxxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Dundems had a ways to go before they would be really back to how they had been, but the club was still rockin, people dancing, and the food wasn't bad for club fair. They ate and then Erza got to enjoy having a boyfriend who was beyond a good dancer, the only thing she learned she did not like, was other women were drawn to him once he was moving, she couldn't hold that against them, Bicklow had an incredible body, and the dark grey slacks showed off his thighs and the ass Cana had ranked number two in the guild.

The sweater and jacket were left at their table, the black turtle neck tight on his upper body, showing the muscle and definition he had in just about the perfect amount, not massive like Laxus, or beastly like Gajeel and Cristoff, Bickslow was built, sexy, looked like he could move and once he did, his grace and skill was abundant.

However, when the women started getting pushy, and Erza was prepared to start beating some of them into the dance floor, he declared it was time to go.

"There's still this thing where I promised you some of that cake from Wessermans." He reminded her and she grinned.

Her brilliant smile turned confused when they headed toward the guild and when they walked up to the doors he winked at her and she knew what was about to happen and had just a moment to brace herself before he drug her inside and all hell broke loose.

The guild was remarkable, talented, powerful, and good at so many things but it really was above all others when it came to its ability to party.

There were four different strawberry cakes, a veritable mountain of presents and Erza learned quickly she wasn't going to escape, one she was the birthday girl, two, her boyfriend was one of the people who was always the life of every party.

Music started as Erza made her way through the presents and she was absolutely astounded by it all.

Beautiful clothes from some of the finest stores in Crocus, hats, sunglasses, even a couple of swimsuits. A tea pot like the one she'd lost, soft house slippers, the list went on and on. When she asked how everyone had managed it Lucy and Bickslow pointed at Cana who grinned "Two days in Crocus while Kaleb was there in meetings, love ya bitch!"

Erza almost cried several times, her friends had noticed, remembered the things that were precious to her that she had lost and had gone out of their way to replace those things for her.

She didn't miss that the swimsuits, sandals, sunglasses and a knee length robe all came from Bickslow and she quirked a brow at him when she opened the present and found the assortment of beach gear.

"I know you lost your things for the beach, and figured….well, since we're going to Akane Beach next week…" He told her and she gasped and threw her arms around him.

"Is it open again?! We're really going?" She asked and he nodded "Opened back up yesterday and yes, for a whole week and…not alone…" He nodded toward Laxus who grinned and stood up "Allright shut the fuck up!" He roared and silence fell pretty quickly.

"As a thank you to Fairy Tail for all we've done for the crown our entire guild, each and every member, has been given a vacation package to Akane Beach that gives you a week there at the Seahorse resort and casino all meals included. Now you can each decide when you want to take your week, but Gramps and I are encouraging everyone to go next week so we can all relax as a guild." The Lightning slayer was smiling, Emma sitting next to him, Erza caught the womans eye "Will you be taking time off?" She asked and Emma smiled "Yeah, I've got it worked out so my employees will run the shop for the week, I don't like taking so much time off, but Laxus is….uh…persuasive." She blushed and Cana cackled "I just bet!"

Erza settled back, presents open, she had a sudden wardrobe of beautiful new clothes, and she sat back right into the arms of the Seith mage who was discussing what attractions to go to first with Cristoff and Cobra.

She saw Wendy settled comfortably against Cristoffs side and Cobra was leaning over Lucy, standing behind her where she sat at the table and for the first time she wasn't the least bit jealous sad or lonely, feeling a strong arm around her and when she was still and silent for a minute just enjoying being right where she was Bickslows attention came back to her, dark red eyes searching hers.

"You ok there?" He asked softly and she nodded, smiling and leaning in to kiss him, something he accepted happily, kissing her back and ignoring the whistles and hoots from their friends when Erza pushed both of her hands into his hair to hold him still for a deeper few moments.

It was the best birthday she'd ever had.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

A/N Yeah I know, long chapter. I wanted to cover some things I hope I didn't bore anyone, I like my fluff damnit! again thank you to the people sending reviews, observations, suggestions, I love that, it helps more than you know...DESNA


	34. Chapter 34 Solar Dragon

Dain needed time to himself sometimes, being personal aid to the prince of Seven was tiring on a lot of levels. The invasion hadn't panned out, the Queen was furious and Seven was o dealing with the fact they had pissed off Bosco even though they had tried not to, had carefully avoided any issue with their neighbor for a year leading up to their invasion hoping not to stir them up, hoping they wouldn't get involved.

But that hadn't worked, and now Seven had Fiore attacking their border and Bosco doing so as well, other parts of the Alvarez Empire were ignoring it all, leaving Seven to reap all they had sown.

So the Queen was taking her frustrations out on her advisors and, her son who had only done as told and had even done really well in the role given to him.

Once the Queen left and servants had removed the maidens she had brought, Dain had gone in to find Nuryev struggling to get off the bed, the Queen had not used the whip on him this time but she'd still worn him out, pumping him full of the stamina and lust potions she was so fond of so he could "adequately" fuck all of the maidens she'd been keeping as a harem for her son, breeding stock. The Queen wanted grandchildren, and had 14 maidens collected from all over Seven, pretty things, carefully monitored, fed, maintained so they would be fertile and healthy.

So once the exhausted prince had spent his 8th day "servicing" the Queens little broodmares, while the Prince planned to rest for a couple of weeks, Dain was given time to himself.

Normally he spent free time like this hunting down things for him and Nuryev to experiment on, but Nuryev wasn't interested in that right now, too tired from spending a week in his mothers bedroom.

So Dain was on his own, and he shouldn't have but he knew if he snuck into Fiore the pickings were still easy and they still had teleportation lacrimas set for good locations inside Fiore so it wasn't like he had to risk crossing the actual border areas that were thick with troops.

The pink haired girl had been from the guild that was still temporarily housed in Peace Village and he knew her cousin was there and he was interested in seeing what else Lamia Scale had to offer so he had teleported into the abandoned old barn on the farm about half a mile from the village, wearing plain travelling clothes and equipped well to make a capture or two, even bringing a pair of strong mages with him, though he was plenty skilled himself with his blood magic.

The trio walked toward Peace Village and heard a commotion off toward the river so, glancing at each other, they moved swiftly and silently toward it. If a Lamia Scale mage was engaged in combat this might be an easy catch Dain could make.

When they reached the rivers edge, the water mage he'd brought was smiling, anticipating a nice advantage.

Just as they cleared some trees though, a torrent of white fire, so hot it caused trees, foliage, grass, to vaporize and rocks to melt blasted past him way too close. Dain felt his clothes scorch, yelped but regretted it because the air was too hot to breathe. The water mage just wasn't there anymore, gone, vaporized in less time than it would take to blink.

Enraged Dain moved away from the scorching heat of where the blast had torn a hole in the foliage so he could see.

Two berserkers…or what was left of them anyway, were falling to the ground dead, a single handler wide eyed gaping at what Dain could only ever described as a vision.

He'd seen beautiful women, he'd killed probably hundreds of them. This one was stunning.

Tall, with long tresses of wavy deep golden hair that was held in an elegant style kept together by silver and gold ribbons and gem encrusted clips.

Tan skin, and in spite of the cold she let a lot of it show and there was absolutely no question, seeing her attire that she was not from Lamia Scale, this woman was Boscan.

She wore the flowing sheer fabrics held together by intricate fine chains of gold. A dark green bustier that clung to her from a trim waist to full breasts, she had an hourglass figure and legs that were long, toned and tan seemed to stretch forever under dark green skirts of the sheer silks of Bosco.

She whirled then, the Berserker handler sending a volley of dark energy at her and fire roared forth from her hands, full plump ruby colored lips lifting in a cold vicious smile that made Dains mouth go dry.

"Get her." He said harshly, the fire mage beside him smirked, he'd been unaffected by whatever attack that had been that had just killed the water mage, and hadn't been overly fond of the other mage anyway, so he was happy to move forward.

The blonde was gorgeous, a big girl too, looked strong, he'd agreed to come with Dain for one reason, the mages that went with Dain on his little hunts usually got laid, because Dain always captured beautiful women and used them well before handing them over to the labs in Seven. So the fire mage licked his lips looking over the woman, too distracted by her to notice she was killing the very competent dark mage, had just burned off the mans left arm before sending a fiery slender pillar of intense white heat right through the mans chest.

Her magic, whatever it was, wouldn't work well against him, he knew she wasn't a fire mage exactly, the fire in her spells was white and the highest intensity he'd seen, he wasn't sure even he could absorb it easily but he was strong, he'd figure it out, and Dain was a blood mage, he'd weaken the woman with his magic.

As the Sevenese handler dropped dead smoldering to the ground the fire mage sent a volley of his most volatile fire at the woman.

His eyes widened a little when he watched her reach a hand out, catch it, curl it, mold it until it was a ball in her hand and then she turned toward him and he met fiery orange eyes bright with excitement as she smiled.

"Oh….thank you." She purred and parted her red lips and the mage watched in surprise as she ATE his fire.

She made a face when the fire was gone "Weak…like too much water in tea, bleah…you must be Sevenese too." She grinned, taking a defensive stance. "Lets play little fire mage." She taunted.

The following fight lasted far longer than any of the mages had expected, including the woman. Dains magic made that happen, unfortunately, attacks of his that would normally have brought an opponent to their knees had little effect on the woman, who's attacks were just horrifying in their power.

The firemage finally made the mistake of not dodging one of the womans flame attacks, and while he held his ground for a few seconds trying to absorb and deflect it, eventually it overwhelmed him, it was too hot, to intense, and Dain grit his teeth as he watched the man go like the water mage had, vaporized.

He was about to go the route of a full corruption, something he didn't want to do because she would be dead quickly and he'd have absolutely no fun with her, but he was out of options, this woman could actually kill him and had proven she wasn't adverse to ending lives, he'd now seen the guild symbol high on her right thigh, White Sea.

No doubt she hunted dark mages like so many from that guild did, and was used to fighting other mages, White Sea rarely brought back survivors for trial because the crown in Bosco only wanted dark mages killed, trials and jails cost time and money. In Bosco if you went dark, you risked one of White Seas famous hunters.

Dain probably shouldn't have come into Fiore to hunt, he knew Boscans were still around, making sure their ally was free of the invasion forces from Seven, in hindsight coming here had been a bad idea, now, not only would he have to explain the deaths of two high ranked mages in the service of the royal house, but he was actually at risk himself. Years with Nuryev had taught him no prey was worth real risk to the hunter.

Too late now.

He'd gotten an infection started in her through a spot where likely one of the berserkers had scratched her arm, but that was the last thing he ever did. Rocks rose beneath his feet, tangling around his legs and he looked in horror to the side realizing some mages from Lamia Scale had reached them and were joining the woman, she had to be here helping them.

Now he couldn't flee and as he lifted the lacrima in his hand to teleport away, he smirked thinking he was going to leave the woman disappointed when she bared teeth and he saw pointed fangs where canines should have been.

In that moment he realized what she was, a Dragon Slayer. Too late as "Solar Dragon Roar!" Came from her lips "No! Emzadi! Don't kill him!" a tall bald man exclaimed and he was enveloped by rocks, hit in the head and knocked clean out.

Jura managed to get rock around the slender man just in time, jerking his hand to the side he had the rock whip the man out of the line of Emzadis roar that blasted another hole in the wooded area and Jura and Lyon both had to snap their heads to the side to not get blinded by the attack.

The slayer rounded on Jura, orange eyes ablaze with anger "Why? He would happily have killed any of us, would still happily do so, he is Sevenese I can smell his stink! Some sort of…blood or weakening zone mage…I can still…." Her voice trailed off then and her eyes rolled back in her head. Lyon lunged forward and caught her before she hit the ground, frowning up at Jura.

"She's hotter than usual…something he did." He nodded toward the limp form Juras rock was bearing to them.

"Lets get them back to the village, I need to call Fairy Tail, we can't wait, if that man put some toxin or something into Emzadi she'll need a healer…" Jura said and Lyon nodded.

Lyon scooped up Emzadi. She was almost as tall as he was and just about pure muscle too so not as light as Sherry but he managed while Jura carried the Sevenese man over a shoulder and called Fairy Tail with his free hand.

Makarov smiled at him in greeting "Master Jura! How can I help you today?" He asked.

"Makarov, it is good to see you looking well, I need you to send one of your healers on the next train to Peace Village, I'm afraid we can not wait for the group coming in two weeks." He said grimly "One of the Boscan mages, their Dragon Slayer Emzadi was stricken by something from a dark mage and is down. She always runs a high temperature but right now she is all but melting my Ice Make wizard." He said.

Makarov nodded "I'll have them on the next train Jura." He assured him.

Two hours later, the Raijinshuu, along with Natsu, Cristoff and Wendy were on a train heading for Peace Village.

"I guess this is for the best, we'll be missing Thanksgiving but not the trip to Akane Beach." Laxus sighed, sitting back in his seat. They would take care of the work with Lamia Scale they had been planning to do in a couple of weeks now, since their neighboring guild needed help sooner rather than later.

Natsu coming along had been Makarovs idea, the Fire Slayer needed the work, this was paid by the crown and it paid well, and while Natsu had been very unhappy about being forced to leave Ruby with Gajeel and Levy, the truth was the whelp needed some time with a more mature dragon slayer, one that was mated too, because Natsus wild influence wasn't helping Ruby develop good habits.

He was teaching her to use her fire breathing, and she'd nearly burned down a few houses now, including Cristoff and Wendys house because he just didn't always think about what was surrounding him when he started a lesson.

So he was along so he could let out some pent up energy, make money he needed to finish his house, and so that Ruby could get some quality time with a mature patient teacher like Gajeel, without her "brother" around interfering.

"Cristoff just sat silently, exchanging a look with Bickslow. Both men were worried about their little sister. Emzadi was far from weak and there really was nothing fragile about her either, she was a confident, capable, ferocious Dragon Slayer, it wasn't easy to bring her down, incredibly powerful mages had tried, so whatever had happened to do this, worried them.

Bickslow hadn't seen Emzadi since right after his return from Tenrou a few years ago. His little sister was a purely Boscan woman, vivacious, bold, confident and devilishly clever. He hadn't even gotten to see her since she had been in Fiore because she'd been sent on with the bulk of Kalebs forces to clear Hargeon and the surrounding areas after Magnolia was liberated.

Their sister had been fighting non-stop but none of them were concerned by that, when she was at home she did the same thing, took chains of missions, stayed out in the field for weeks at a time usually by herself.

He knew she'd grown strong, Kaleb said he was one of the few now in the guild who could spar with her anymore, and considering Kaleb was a Wizard Saint, that meant something.

So he and Cristoff were both worried as they travelled and Cobra, sitting nearby, didn't miss that, so when the train rolled into Peace Villages station, he was on the heels of Cristoff, Wendy and Bickslow.

As soon as Jura spotted them he waved and Freed, Laxus and Evergreen hurried to follow as the Master of Lamia Scale led them into the growing town of Peace Village that really wasn't a village anymore.

"She's in the infirmary. Hasn't woken back up, the regular doctor we have here is completely lost." Jura told then and Cristoff frowned, glancing at Wendy.

Every time they approached something like this he weighed the option of having Wendy handle it, she needed to, the more she did the stronger she would get, but he also weighed the risk to the person, ultimately he still outpowered Wendy by a large margin and had a great deal more experience, especially handling injuries taken while fighting dark magic users.

The fact that this was also his sister weighed heavily on him as well. Cristoff and Emzadi were close, had grown up together, and spared and learned and adjusted to their magic together, he'd been there after both of the big tragedies in her life and she had always been a light and comfort to him as well.

He'd not been kind to Kaleb after learning their older brother had sent her on with the other forces, meaning Cristoff hadn't even gotten to see her and he'd wanted to, he hadn't seen her in almost 2 years, she'd not met Wendy, and until he'd come to Magnolia, they had always been close.

"You'll help me." He decided as they came into the infirmary, his eyes found her right away and he took Wendys hand and pulled her to a quicker pace to the bedside of his little sister.

"Shit…" He cursed, sitting on the edge of the bed he didn't wait just pressed his hands to his sisters fevered skin. She was pale, fever so high there were places steam rose from her and when he touched her he had to start channeling magic to his own skin because it burned.

He'd done this before though, healed himself because the act of healing another meant he took damage, and he had Wendy come up, place a hand over the back of one of his and she gasped when she felt it all.

"Some sort of blood corruption, the mage she fought…was a blood mage, you can't let him wake up and nobody can touch his skin or he can transfer magic into them." Cristoff said.

Jura nodded, glancing at Lyon who wasted no time in hurrying from the room to head for the jail.

Bickslow who had been right behind Wendy, followed him…he would find out what the man had done to his little sister and Laxus, seeing the menacing look on his friends face, followed along with Freed.

Evergreen settled on an empty bed nearby, she knew this young woman, had met her before. She was usually fantastically active, bright, bold, brimming with the same barely contained wickedness in her smile as Bickslow, it was strange to see her pale, damp with sweat like she was.

Natsu stood a little ways beyond where Evergreen sat, just watching, staring at the fading woman on the bed.

"The heat in her…its kept it from getting stronger but its trying to build…" Wendy breathed and she laced her own magic through Cristoffs, needing to feel more, needing to understand, she'd never encountered this before, it was on par with the illness inflicted on the Raijinshuu, especially Laxus during the whole tartaros conflict, but different in that this almost hid inside Emzadis blood.

"More heat…" Cristoff frowned, his magic was based in lunar and celestial power, the night, and all about the soothing cool and comforting patterns of those things, he could wield some star fire, but one of the reasons he'd always gotten along so easy and found handling his sister so simple was because his magic was cool while hers was hot so he was shielded.

Wendys magic leaned that way as well, soothing winds, cooling, calming, mists in a breeze were her base, neither one of them could call up much in the way of heat and right now, Emzadi needed that.

"Natsu! Come here!" Wendy suddenly cried and Cristoff blinked, looking up at his wife smiling "Great thinking." He told her and she smirked at him.

Natsu came forward, looking a little nervous and Wendy grabbed his hand, putting it on Emzadis chest between her breasts, not noticing or caring as the Dragon Slayers eyes widened.

"Push heat into her Natsu, as much as you can." Cristoff told him, Natsu frowned at him "I can fucking turn her to ash Cristoff." He snapped.

Cristoff smiled "No you can't, she's a Solar Dragon Slayer Natsu, believe me, you can't burn her, but her blood is fighting the corruption using heat, it's just she must have been fighting before the asshole hit her with this and was already tiring, burn it out of her, give her all you've got, believe me, she can take it."

Natsu blinked at him, but then frowned, looking around him, for once putting some thought into what might happen. Trying to anticipate how things he did would effect Rubys development had brought this little thing out in him recently and he leaned down, scooped the woman up and lifted her out of the bed.

"I'll burn this building down if I do this inside." He told the two startled healers and Wendy smiled "Ok, lets get outside, we can do it behind the building a little ways." She agreed and Natsu nodded, walking past her and carrying the blonde outside.

He could feel it, the heat in her, she felt warm against his skin and usually everyone that touched him felt cool or even cold. In his single sleeved jacket he had a whole arm bare touching her and was surprised that even weak like she was she could put off this much power, she almost hummed with it.

Once out back he went a safe distance from the buildings and knelt down, situating the woman in his lap and holding her to him he drew in his magic and started heating her up.

Flames started licking over his skin and he watched Cristoff come close and narrowed his eyes "Not smart man." He warned and Cristoff smiled reassuringly. "She's my sister, I can still touch her when she's engulfed in sunfire, trust me, I understand this." He assured the Fire Slayer.

He reached in, the sleeve of his jacket and shirt burned away but he ignored that, touching his sisters forehead and closing his eyes. "More…a lot more Natsu…all you've got…" He insisted and stepped back again as Natsu nodded and the fire licking over his skin flared.

He let himself worry, let himself get angry that a dark mage had done this, tried to kill his Nakamas sister. Cristoff and Wendy were kin, this woman was a Dragon, rare and precious to Earthland and he would see who had done this burn.

Emotion was fuel to his magic, it always had been. He drew it, let it build and his flames roared over her, she was the same height as him, had golden hair with streaks of red and platinum in it, full red lips, she was beautiful, and he would burn what was trying to kill her out of her.

The more he looked into her face the hotter his fire got, until she stirred slightly in his arms, she moved, turning, groaning and pushing against him, an arm coming around his neck, the other moving under his left arm to go around him and he tightened his arms around her pushing more fire, closing his eyes and realizing while she may have been searing hot to the others, she was actually cold inside and seeking his heat.

He growled, the dragon inside him stirring, a need to protect was one of Natsus strongest characteristics and it flared in him, he pushed a hand up her back into the thick blonde hair to the back of her neck, holding her firm against him and it was his dragon that suddenly thought of Ruby, of pushing fire into the little whelps hungry mouth so she could greedily feed on the heat and magic of his fire.

He tilted her toward him then and sealed his mouth over hers, using his free hand to pull her chin down and open her mouth and he breathed fire right into her.

At first she just drank it in, then, after the second breath, her hand slid intohis hair, fingers curling on the back of his head and she was suddenly holding him as tightly as he was hers, soft red lips moving on his, sucking at him as he blew more fire into her.

Sensations that were utterly foreign to him started flooding through Natsu as she pulled on him, Ruby would nip at his mouth when she was hungry but not like this…this was so very different from that. It felt so hot his fires raged higher around them and he growled when he felt nails scrape over his back, she tensed in his arms for a moment but then growled back at him and his dragon just about went insane inside him.

Female, this was a female, an adult, unmated, powerful female. Fierce, beautiful, and he had her in his arms and she was drinking in his fire like it was water, licking at his lips, he felt fangs, sharp and as deadly as his drift over his lips and blew into her mouth again, she purred…

Growling he tightened his grip on her at the sound… _mine, this woman is mine….she has to be mine_ … His dragon was clear, he'd never ignored it, trusted it because Igneel had taught him to.

She smelled incredible, like fire, like sunlight on flowers and she tasted like cinnamon, hot, spicy cinnamon.

He sensed Cristoff again, coming closer and pulled his mouth from the womans to snarl at him and Cristoff actually smirked and chuckled "Easy Natsu, I have to see how she is, if you've gotten it…I have a feeling blowing that fire into her did it…" Cristoff said softly, not meeting Natsus eyes, reaching out and touching Emzadis forehead and breathing a sigh of relief.

"Ok, it's gone, you can take her back to her bed, let her rest a while." Cristoff said stepping back when Natsu growled again.

"Cool off Natsu, take her to her bed she needs to rest!" Wendy snapped, not being as gentle as Cristoff for a change, she knew Natsu, knew him being distracted and a little mindless when she saw it.

Natsu started when Wendy snapped at him, his eyes snapping to hers and seeing her impatient frown made him recoil a little. Even the dragon inside him acknowledged her grudgingly.

Sliding an arm back under her legs he lifted the woman again, tamping down his flames but dipping his head as he walked to push his nose against the side of her face down to her neck and drawing in a deep breath, committing her scent to memory and making a soft humming sound in spite of himself when he did.

Once inside he laid her back down on the bed but couldn't help sitting beside her, leaning in one last time, pushing his fingers through her hair, taking note of the ribbons and gems, the golden chain that hung over her forehead with white and green gems on it.

Exotic almond shaped eyes, long thick lashes and full red lips, her skin tan and smooth. She smelled so good, soothing, like home. He couldn't get enough of it.

"Natsu, we're heading over to see the mage that did this to her…you mind staying with her in case she wakes up?" Wendy asked and Natus didn't look up at her, didn't see the woman smiling knowingly at him, just nodded and grunted his agreement.

Cristoff frowned, not sure he liked this…Emzadi was strong, powerful, but she'd been through a lot, he knew those growls he'd heard, saw the spark of attraction, he couldn't let it happen.

"I don't think we should leave him with her." He protested but Wendy grabbed his hand and pulled him "Cristoff, if Bickslow decides to pull information out of that mage he'll need us both there to protect him." She pointed out and Cristoffs frown deepened, eyes leaving the scene of Natsu bent over Emzadi.

He looked at Wendy and sighed, narrowing his eyes "You're right." He agreed and the couple left Natsu with Emzadi, hurrying outside and flagging down the first person they found the get directions to the jail.

The construction of a jail had been one of the first things Jura had been forced to address when it came time to start building. Choosing to put Lamia Scales Guild Hall in Peace Village had been a decision he'd spent a lot of time on. Rebuilding from scratch in Hargeon would work, but Peace Village was closer to ERA and Crocus and he was helping the Crown work on plans to rebuild the magic council along with Makarov, Master Bob from Blue Pegasus and Goldmine from Quatro Cerberus.

The train line now ran through Peace Village, so it was easy to get to and from everywhere he needed and The area really could do with a strong guild. Hargeon had the military, and both Lamia Scale and Fairy Tail within quick train rides, so it made sense.

The jail he had needed because of the constant work clearing Sevenese, it was magically re-enforced on par with the Magic Councils prison and even Jura couldn't get out of the cells, nor could the most minute amount of magic, but he didn't want to take chances with this prisoner, not a blood mage.

Blood magic was illegal in Fiore because it had mutated into pure darkness centuries ago even though its origins had been in healing. That a Sevenese mage wielded it really didn't surprise him, but that a mage like this was wandering near Peace Village did alarm him.

It was almost lucky he'd come across Emzadi, who seemed able to fight his magic, but what if it had been someone else? He almost shuddered.

"I don't want him awake, but I hesitate to hit him again because I could end him, Lyon could freeze him but that's risky too and I get the feeling he may know some things we might want to get out of him." Jura said unhappily.

Laxus looked at Bickslow whos lips were already pressed together in a thin line, he could feel the Seiths anger.

"I can keep him asleep…Emzadi will be ok, Natsu is watching her…he burned the corruption out of her and Evergreen is watching Natsu watching Emzadi…" Cristoff sighed, giving Bickslow an unhappy look that made the Seith frown in confusion.

He was relieved Cristoff was there though, it meant this whole thing would go much much easier.

"Allright little bro, get him under your magic and if you don't mind Jura…well…you know what I'm gonna do…" He met Juras look and the Wizard Saint nodded grimly. He'd watched Bickslow work before, frankly the extent of what Fairy Tails "Telepathy" mage could do alarmed him, but he didn't question it, he knew full well this man didn't use any sort of telepathy, and knew Makarov wouldn't be shielding him if he didn't trust him and that was enough for Jura in the end.

The two men walked into the cell with the Blood Mage and Cristoff handled him, refusing to let Bickslow touch him. Yes the man was out and his magic wasn't working, but after seeing what it had taken to cleanse this mans magic from his sister, he wasn't risking another of his siblings.

Once the man was bound sitting in a chair and Cristoff had eased him from the concussed unconsciousness into his own more stable sleep spell, urging him deep into it so his magic was well out of his reach, magic cancelling cuffs bound him, but Blood Mages were known for being able to leak magic through things like sweat, blood, spit, any kind of contact even when their magic was being suppressed and Cristoff just wasn't taking chances.

Bickslow let his brother get everything ready, trusting him to know what needed to be done so he could do his part. When his brother nodded Bickslow glanced around to the others "Yeah, the cell might protect you guys but uh…I wouldn't risk it." He advised and Laxus and Freed closed their eyes, Jura finally did the same and Bickslow removed his visor and handed it to Cristoff who put it on himself before Bickslow went to work.

It was nearly two hours. Laxus was leaning against the wall across from the cell, eyes closed, frowning, Holding Wendy who had her eyes closed and face buried in his shoulder. Freed had done the same and Jura too was frowning unhappily, Cristoff had warned them repeatedly to keep their eyes closed, and now had a hand on his brothers shoulder, bolstering him even as he kept the man in the chair from going into cardiac arrest.

Whatever was happening, Bickslow was tearing the man apart from the soul out and had stopped being careful about it over an hour ago.

"Stop protecting him Cris." Bickslow suddenly ground out and Cristoff started, wide eyed. Bickslow rarely abbreviated his name, when they were younger he did it all the time because Cristoff wasn't fond of it, but as they'd gotten older, especially after Tenrou, Bix only did it when he was trying to convey something really important.

He knew not to question him, he trusted his brother implicitly and so he withdrew his hand from the man, shifting and putting both hands on his brother and pouring strengthening enhancements into him.

Whatever Bickslow was going to do, he'd support him and stand by him without question.

The man made noises then, terrible noises of pain, agony, gurgling horrific sounds that were nightmarish in the depth of the suffering behind them.

"Keep your eyes shut and cover your eyes!" Cristoff barked, closing his own eyes in spite of the visors protection, feeling his brothers magic surge and the man started screaming, screaming and sucking in wind to scream more, Cristoff heard blood vessels going, knew the man was screeching his vocal cords to shreds but that was really the least of the mans worries.

Cristoff heard Wendy whimper, the dragon in him, and the man who loved her wanted to move to hold her but he had to help Bickslow do whatever he was doing so he trusted her in Laxus' firm hold, Laxus wouldn't let her rush in, he, like Cristoff, trusted Bickslow.

"Die you sick mother fucker" Bickslow snarled and there were a couple more strangled screams and Cristoff felt the mans heart go, burst inside his chest, even not touching him he could sense it because it had happened so strongly. Wendy gagged out a strangled sob feeling it too and Bickslow sagged, Cristoff catching him. He was sweaty, exhausted, but fine, and Cristoff had little doubt in possession of information none of them would enjoy learning.

Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Laxus and Jura both sat back, eyes dazed. Jura rubbing his bald head absently, staring at the wall, Laxus bent forward, forearms on his knees, gazing blindly at the floor. Bickslow sighed, it had taken him three hours to tell them everything he'd learned, he was tired, felt filthy and unclean after his dive into Dain Briskols black soul.

All he wanted was a hot shower, a lot of alcohol, and to slide into Erzas arms and lose himself for days. But Erza wasn't there, she was back home, so a shower and alcohol would have to suffice.

He lifted the bottle Lyon had brought when he'd asked to his lips again, the mellow burn of the bourbon did a fair job on one of his wants.

Laxus drew another slow breath.

Dain Briskol was the aid of the Prince of Seven, Nuryev Allsaidian. He had been the one instrumental in the slow torture of Sherria Blendy, had planned to do the same to Sherry and that was why he was there.

Nuryev was who had killed her, ripped out her magic and her very soul to create a lacrima that could be implanted into someone else to create a healer for the Sevenese forces.

Nuryev had also been the one who had controlled the dragons, created the Lacrima Draconian using the souls torn from Zirconis and a Rock dragon along with those of dozens of mages to cover the magics of the dragons he meant to control. He had killed a total of 7 actual dragons, and still had hunters out looking for more, maintained a laboratory in Seven dedicated to draining the magic out of legendary creatures of all kinds.

He had produced, through the deaths of those dragons, 11 lacrimas similar to those in Laxus and Cobra, since the souls of larger older dragons could apparently create more Lacrimas, could be shredded.

He had a Seith Mage he controlled, the third, two created from him ripping the soul and magic from the first one he'd captured and planting it in a lacrima, when he started to exhaust the man he'd put the lacrima into, he'd simply killed the man, removed the lacrima and put it into someone else.

Nuryevs Mother, Queen Kressa Allsaidian was sick as hell, raped her son on a regular basis because he looked like his father, who she had apparently killed in a power bid that had clearly worked out for her. So it was obvious how Nuryev had become the dark fuck he was.

Ultimately, Seven had meant to destroy Fiore, take it over and then turn on Bosco. Had they succeeded the remainder of the Alvarez empire would have sided with them and Seven would have absorbed Bosco and become as massive as Pergrande.

It hadn't worked though, but Seven was doing fine defending themselves, they had only invaded with a portion of their total might, the mutated lacrima soldiers Nuryev had been creating now served protecting the kingdom and once the Queen was done punishing her son for failing to take Fiore he would be back to work creating more lacrima enhanced soldiers for Seven.

They had been aided for the last 5 years by the Gran Domo of the Fioran council, who was now in Seven, part of their Magic Council. Various nobles in Fiore, some of whom they had not known about, whose names Freed had taken down so they could notify the Crown of their treachery.

It was overall, horrifying what the Prince of Seven had been doing for the last 5 years, harvesting Fioran mages and turning them into Lacrimas, dragons captured by the council that had been believed returned to their own time harvested as well.

Laxus knew Fairy Taill currently had 8 Dragon eggs in the chamber that had once belonged to Rubys egg. Waiting to be identified so the guild could consider hatching them depending on how things went with Ruby. That was a secret nobody but Fairy Tail knew, and only a few people in Fairy Tail knew it. Nuryev had gone to great pains collecting those eggs.

Dain was dead now, and from all Bickslow had told them, it was a good thing he was and not even Jura questioned Bickslows decision to end the man rather than let him ever regain consciousness.

Bickslow watched his leader absorbing all he'd told them, there was more too, but he'd tell Laxus about that when they were alone, Jura didn't need to know about Nuryevs private vendetta against the dragon slayers.

He passed the bottle to Cristoff, who was sitting next to him, and his brother took a long drink before passing it to Laxus who promptly drained it.

"I think we should get some more to drink."Bickslow said, Cristoff was gathering a shaky Wendy into his arms, kissing the top of her head and rubbing her back slowly while she put her arms around him and pressed herself into his warmth.

Jura looked at Cristoff and Wendy and pressed his lips together. Fairy Tail had an incredible asset in that pair. He'd seen a few times now what Cristoff was capable of, and how much Wendy had improved since being with the man. He rarely envied other guilds but with Sherria gone Lamia Scale was like most other guilds having no healer and Sherrias loss had just added to so much else to what was already challenging the guild.

Lamia Scale had nearly disbanded after the second time Hargeon was attacked. They had lost members after the first and second, he felt they were stable now though and it was possible some of the people who had left would return when things settled down.

The Boscan mages he was going to sorely miss when they left. Emzadi was just plain fun, brash, outspoken, stunningly beautiful the Dragoness was a powerhouse and very skilled at hunting the dark mages and soldiers still dotting the lands around them. The others, especially the maker mages who were rebuilding the village and had built them a new Guild Hall had proven to be priceless.

There was no way to lure Wendy back, not with a husband and mate whose brother was a devoted member of Fairy Tails Raijinshuu, the couple had too many deep ties to Fairy Tail but had there been a way, Jura would have pursued it.

"I hate to ask this, but…" He started and Cristoff met his eyes "It's allright Jura, we know you have wounded here." Cristoff said, hugging Wendy tightly he leaned down.

"Time to work, love." He whispered and she nodded, reluctant to leave his arms but working would help, she knew it, she needed to feel like she was helping people right now, watching Bickslow kill that man, listening to those screams had been terrible.

She understood why, even agreed with it, but would have happily gone her whole life a happier woman never having seen and heard that. It was strange, knowing what the man had done eased the blow, but only so much, he had earned what had happened to him, really what Bickslow had put him through couldn't have compared to all of the suffering and torture he had put others through, including Sherria, but it was over.

She had people who needed her and stealing one last hug from Cristoff, she stepped away from him and met Juras gaze with her own cool determined one, following the man back to the infirmary, Bickslow trailing behind them, wanting to see Emzadi while Laxus and Freed followed Lyon to the Guild Hall to get some dinner and more to drink.

Entering the infirmary, they found Natsu much as they had left him, sitting now on the bed beside Emzadis, Evergreen stood, smiling at Bickslow when he told her she could catch Laxus and Freed at the guild hall.

Bickslow went to his sisters bed and sat down next to her, looking over at Natsu thoughtfully.

The fire slayer was looking at Emzadi with a mixture of confusion and fascination and Bickslow closed his eyes, _Gods not him…please Gods, really, she's been through hell_ …

He loved Natsu, he really did, the whole guild did, but the Fire Slayer was loud, immature, obnoxious, impetuous, and while Bickslow himself could have those things said about him and he knew it, he also knew he could control it, could be serious and also had worlds more self control than Natsu did on his best day.

Emzadi was practiced, disciplined with her magic, control was something she was beyond serious about, she was a typical Boscan woman, but had suffered a great deal because of her power and beauty. Her clan had implanted her lacrima when she was only 6, and her young body had barely been able to withstand it.

Her clan had been slaughtered by rivals seeking the lacrima within her, but she'd been saved, and his father had pulled her from the orphanage that had her just as they were getting ready to have the lacrima cut out even knowing the removal would kill the child.

She'd fallen in love when she was 13 with a devilishly handsome young water mage who was undeterred by the natural heat that radiated from her, Seth had been Emzadis closest friend, and had been the one to free her from her virginity in her induction ceremony when she was 13.

She'd been adamant it be him even though at 15 he was seen as too young to handle it. Their father and Seths parents though had finally agreed and the pair had become inseparable.

Three years they were almost sickening to be around according to Cristoff. Bickslow, had been in Tenrou through most of it, Emzadi had been 8 when he had started his 7 year slumber.

When Emzadi had went through her first mating season she had already seen Cristoff go through his first the year before and she felt she would be fine. Though their father had forbidden it, telling her she was too young and needed to train and develop more in her magic, she and Seth had worked out a plan and Seth had gone to the island on the Grass Sea where Emzadi was spending mating season.

Nobody knew, because Cristoff was off himself, so there was nobody who could have scented the young man. By then both Emzadi and Seth had been members of White Sea, Kaleb had just taken over as Guild Master and Bickslow was back among the living.

While Kaleb had posted a guard to watch over the island, Seth, being a water mage, had had no trouble at all getting past them and he had tried to claim Emzadi, initiated mating with her. They were so in love, so young, Emzadi thought she knew what to expect, thought how much she loved Seth would give her the ability to temper her attacks against him.

The guards off shore had seen the battle begin, it was dusk and Emzadis solar attacks had lit up the sky and set the Island ablaze so they had rushed in.

It had taken Emzadi less than 5 minutes to vaporize Seth. There was just nothing left of him when Gaza and the other mage sent to guard her reached the island and found her she was sobbing in the middle of a huge scorch mark.

The Council had determined Emzadi was not at fault for Seths death, warnings were sent out reminding the Boscan magic communities that Female Dragon Slayers (of which there was only one known in Bosco) were deadly when a mating ritual was instigated and any who attempted it took full risk and responsibility unto themselves, the Dragon Slayer could not be held responsible for responding as she had to.

Seths parents, who had always loved Emzadi, turned away from her, fought to have her tried and wanted her dead, even hired mercenaries to kill her twice before they themselves were brought before a judge and punished for their actions. They had moved away, to the North Eastern edge of Bosco and weren't heard from again.

Emzadi of course had been devastated. Bickslow had even gone home, the family had gathered around her but she had spent days huddled up with Cristoff, refusing to let her brother leave her because somehow, the draconic things he instinctively knew to do, comforted her more than the hugs and affection and condolences of the rest of their family.

When she had finally started coming out, letting Crsitoff leave her side, she had sobbed in Bickslows arms for hours, cried on Kaleb too. She'd had to then face those in the guild who were angry over the loss of Seth, and Kaleb, Cristoff and Vander had rallied around her, Kaleb forced to come down on a couple of members pretty hard until it had finally passed.

Three years later, Emzadi was the voluptuous woman she was now, with her orange eyes and golden fire hair she caught the attention of an older mage. A fire mage named Brant, who was 31 fell in love with her and lured her to his bed, he paid for it, fire mage or no Emzadi was solar, and the heat of the sun exceeded what even an S-class fire mage like Brant could easily handle.

Brant suffered injuries during their affair but he bore them with pride and loved Emzadi and she started to love him when mating season came again, the only time of the year a non-dragon slayer could claim a female dragon slayer.

Brant had studied, put in a huge amount of research, told Kaleb his intention to become Emzadis mate.

Kaleb had warned him against it, told him he should just keep things as they were, that Emzadis power was erratic still, she'd just opened her second origin, he should wait.

But Brant had heard other men in the guild talking about wanting her, and he didn't want to risk someone else beating him to claiming her, he loved her and so, when she left to ride out mating season, he trailed her.

Emzadi and Cristoff had worked out a pair of islands near each other, not so close they would endanger each other, but within sight at least. Cristoff saw the fight start, had the sense in spite of being half mad because of the season to call Kaleb and Kaleb had sent a team out.

This time it was clear the fight hadn't been totally one sided like it had been with Seth, Emzadi was injured, but Brant was dead and again Emzadi was devastated. Though she hadn't really been in love with Brant, she'd hoped she could be, that he would be the one to mend her heart, to complete her and she could finally be free of mating seasons.

The family had done as before, the courts wouldn't even look at it, simply reciting what they had decided before about the whole thing. White Sea had been in turmoil for a while, Brant had been popular, and his team, his friends, wanted Emzadi at least banished from the guild.

Grenlow himself, the leader who had retired and handed the guild over to Kaleb had come to chastise his guild, order them to stop, that it wasn't Emzadis fault and they damn well knew that.

But Emzadi wasn't invited to team missions anymore, she had to solo everything, refusing to join Cristoffs team no matter how he begged her because she felt she needed to prove she could control her magic, could be successful without the help of her brothers.

She'd done that, and now, a couple of years later, the guild loved her again, though she still remained a solo mage.

Bickslow had seen the look on Natsus face on several mens faces when they had looked at Emzadi and it never meant good things.

Some of them his sister would toy with, even sleep with, she had control of herself now better than before, hadn't injured a partner since her time with Brant. But she was viciously cruel if they started to become possessive, started trying to woo her.

Natsu had no hope with her, and Bickslow sincerely hoped the Fire Slayer would just stick to his big brother role with Ruby, keep destroying property and brawling in the guild and Emzadi would return to Bosco and the Pradesh families world would remain in its usual state of barely contained chaos.

On a whim the Seith lit his eyes and took a peek inside Natsus soul, it was always a fiery thing, deep hues of red churning oddly even for a slayer, the dual souls always were a little jarring when he looked at Dragon Slayers, but there they were, each as fiery as the other. He almost groaned when he saw the pinkish orange thread, because when he turned he saw Emzadis soul glowing it's lusterous pinkish orange hue…..well fuck, he was going to have to talk to Cristoff and Kaleb in a hurry, they couldn't let this happen. Emzadi couldn't bear it and he was pretty sure there just wasn't anywhere two such volatile Dragon Slayers could work something like this out safely….

Fuck his life….he was seriously wishing Erza was there, more than before he needed to be in her arms, hear her calm certain voice, and he knew she could control Natsu better than even Lucy. He smiled slightly, pushing a lock of his sisters hair from her shoulder and ignoring the growl he heard.

Rising he smiled at Natsu who was looking a little unsettled, probably about why the hell he'd just growled at Bickslow. Once outside he pulled out his com and dialed Erza, smiling more when she appeared, instantly smiling when she saw him.

"Hey Amazon…I need your help out here."

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

A/N...Thanks again to the reviewers, can't really be said enough how much they help the process. Whyx, Western, Roses, J.D. the guests, Ash, Moonbeam, *fist bump*... There is still a good bit of story left. As ever, I do not own Fairy Tail, I am but a slave to the creative genius of Hiro Mashimas wonderful creation. To those who have recently asked me, yes, the youngest brother who has not yet made his appearance in my stories will be coming into this story soon, Bickslows baby brother, the 18 year old Vander. And you thought the older brothers were playboys? Bwahahahahaha


	35. Chapter 35 The fifth brother

Chapter 35

The Fifth Brother

Cana sat at the bar, she was hovering, not even drinking her beer, instead just staring. Things were settling, Magnolia was well on its way to being on its feet again, the Crown was already working on re-assembling the kingdoms Magic Council…again. Taking a different approach this time banding together the masters of the largest most active guilds and using them to appoint Council authorities.

Some of the mages from Bosco had already headed home and, looming now, was Kalebs departure.

She'd known it was inevitable, he'd warned her, made no secrets, he was the Master of the largest most powerful guild in Bosco and he was needed back home. There were still a few things he had to do in Fiore to finish the sisterhood with Fairy Tail, iron out how visas would be established for his people who wanted to remain a while longer and also make arrangements for those from Fairy Tail who were going to Bosco. The Connell family had already left, were likely already there at the guild, planning to be there for at least 6 months.

Her own father was considering going for a while, he'd been to Bosco a few times in the past, and told her she should seriously think about it. He hadn't missed his daughters interactions with White Seas Guild Master, couldn't fault her tastes either, his girl deserved no less as far as he was concerned, Kaleb might not even be good enough for her.

Kaleb himself put no pressure on her, told her he'd be happy if she came to Bosco.

"White Sea would embrace you, Bosco would embrace you, and you know where I stand." He'd told her. If she went to Bosco, he'd gladly take her to his bed, make sure her stay wasn't a lonely one, whispered of the things they could do, promised her wildest fantasies he could see better appeased there than anywhere else in Earthland.

Her time with him had been like a dream in the midst of the nightmare of everything that had happened in Fiore. They'd promised nothing to each other, he'd given her all she could want too. His body, his incredible skills in the bedroom, his open willingness to try anything she wanted, to make things happen for her. He never seemed to tire of it either, she could get demanding, needy even, and he'd just give her more when she was, it didn't seem to faze him. Almost choking then at the thoughts she was having Cana bit her lip looking around the guild, he wasn't there, she knew where he was and was suddenly desperate to see him.

Why fear gripped her so hard she wasn't sure but she found Kaleb easily enough. When the Magnolia Hotel had re-opened his guild had taken an entire floor and he had his own room with a real window instead of sleeping in a storage room or a tent like he had been, she'd been in it just the night before and ran through the lobby to the elevator not caring if anyone stared at the half crying woman she was right then.

When she got off the elevator she turned and there he was, standing outside one of the rooms talking with whoever was inside it, filling out some form. Black pants, a black shirt and black boots, his platinum hair hung loose down his back, some falling over his shoulder as he looked over the papers he was signing.

He finally handed the last one to the person in that room and smiled at then, saying something in Boscan then turning as the door closed and walking away from her not having seen her but then he froze and turned, frowning, meeting her eyes and his were full of concern and confusion and she knew he was catching the riot of thoughts clashing around in her head.

He shook his head at her "Cana…come here" He called and she didn't care about pride or anything in that moment, tears blurring her vision she just ran to him, throwing herself into his arms and clinging to him, wrapping her legs around him, making him take her whole weight and he staggered a step back from the force of it all but then stood holding her.

"Cana…no, Nah mei seia….what brought this on? What on Earthland is going through your head?" He whispered into her ear and she shuddered at the feeling. "I need to feel you…I need you to touch me…" she whispered back and he turned, carrying her to his room, getting the door open and letting it close and lock behind them while her carried her into the center of the suite.

"We're alone, in my suite…Cana…tell me what I can do, what do you want?" He asked softly and she put her feet on the floor, stepped back, grasping the hem of the snug black shirt he wore and pulling upward, he let her, lifting his arms so she could pull the shirt from him and then she smoothed her hands over his chest, following the curves and contours of the muscles there, tracing over the tattoos that branded him forever with a history, a lineage, spoke of where he had come from, the things he'd achieved. The symbol of White Sea over his right pectoral.

He watched her as she committed every inch of him to memory and let her unbuckle his belt, open his slacks and push them down his legs, stepped from them, kicking off his shoes and standing naked in front of her while she continued running her hands over him.

"Cana…" he breathed, he heard her thoughts, they were in a jumble, she was mourning him leaving as if he were dying and he wasn't due to leave for another two weeks or so. He wasn't going to disappear yet in her head it was like he was and she almost in a panic about that. He couldn't understand why, or even better, why suddenly now?

"Touch me…" She begged and he reached out, undoing her top and it fell to the floor, he pushed her jacket from her arms next, then the pants and panties from her, once she was naked he dropped to his knees in front of her, grasped her hips and held her as he leaned forward and ran his tongue over her center.

She moaned, leave it to Kaleb to just go right into chasing every thought from her head by immediately giving her one of her favorite pleasures. He lifted one of her legs over his shoulder and she slid her hands into his soft hair to steady herself as he steadily cleared her mind and replaced everything with pleasure.

His hands were holding her firmly to him, his mouth worked her most sensitive places, his tongue invading her body. Once it all started to build his confidence grew because her thoughts stopped being riotous and focused on what she really wanted, craved from him and he pulled back, standing and sweeping her up to carry her to the bed, he laid her back and followed her down, a hand sliding up her thigh as he slid between her legs, he didn't hesitate, didn't play with her further, just entered her body, thrusting himself into her to the hilt and moaning softly.

"So good…you always feel so good to me…" He breathed and she pulled him down to kiss her because his kisses always seemed to make her mind go blank.

"I want you slow, I want this to take time, make me burn…make me forget my own name…" She begged and Kaleb met her eyes, searching them. He had no idea what was making her like this, she had her days when she was especially needy, wanted all he had to give and then some, but this was something else, something deeper, and he wasn't sure what had caused it or why it had frightened her so much so suddenly but he thought, hoped, he knew how to ease it.

He started rocking into her body, the languid pace coupled with his hands roaming her sides, lips playing over her chin, neck, shoulders then returning to her mouth to lick and suck at her lips, tease her tongue with his. He knew how to draw things out, could keep her going for a long time, have them both flirting with the edge of ecstasy for hours if he could keep her calm enough to allow it. She never had before, she always lost patience and needed that finish.

Kaleb didn't care, for him it was less about achieving his own orgasm and more about getting her what she wanted, that was the greater challenge, and Cana was always the most challenging woman he'd ever been with.

His mind reading made sex easy for him, he always knew what his partner wanted, but Cana was one of those women who could change everything in the blink of an eye, so he had to pay attention, almost catch how a thought was forming before it could all the way because she seemed to endlessly be looking for ways she had failed, that the sex wasn't as good as it could have been and he never, ever wanted her to think that after she had been with him.

She was so smart, so creative, and she didn't see herself that way at all, it bothered him, and he felt like some time away from the idea, the image of herself as a "whore" and a failure that was so mired in Magnolia for her made what he wanted seem like a good idea, to him at least.

Maybe it would ease this panic of hers too.

"Is this what you want?" He breathed, letting his chest drag over hers, giving her all the contact he could manage and still keep good strong thrusts into her body going.

"Yes, you always feel so good…I'm going to miss this so much…" and there it was, and the tears that came with it and he slowed, stilled kissing her, holding her rocking their bodies slowly, keeping the barest movement going.

"You don't have too…Cana…come with me to Bosco…be with me…" He whispered by her ear and her soft sobs choked to a stop and she pulled his face back to look into his pale eyes.

"You…you would want me there? In front of your whole guild?" She didn't believe he would, it was one thing fucking some weak little mage while he was abroad fighting, but another thing for a Guild Master to bring a woman to his bed right at his guild, she had subtly tried to ask Gaza how often Kaleb had women at home.

"He serves the visiting dignitaries, Princess Kurino of course when she comes through the area, and sometimes one here or there will take his fancy but I've never seen our Master keep a woman at his home at the guild. I hear no woman has been in the Masters home on top of the guild. He's busy, and while we all know he's very able, and some of the women of the guild have even had him accept their advances, he's never had a woman at his side for any amount of time, just pleasure, relaxation." Gaza had replied.

He smiled, kissing her again, leaving her breathless "I've told you before I am not ashamed of my choices. Come to Bosco, be with me, there is no need for this to end, I am not dying, not disappearing from your life Mei Sura, you can chose when this ends…you can even chose if it will at all…I admit, I'm beyond the point I can decide that. I just want you with me."

His lips were warm on her neck and her mind was reeling, so he thrust harder into her, reminding her he was still all the way inside of her, their bodies still joined. The pleasure that rolled through her at his movements slowed her thoughts, helped her sort them, kissing his jaw, throat, tangling her hands in his long hair seeing him clench his teeth in pleasure, hiss a breath in when she rolled her hips up into his, drawing a moan from him when she bit his shoulder, it all helped her realize what he'd said, what it meant.

"I…nngh oh Gods…yes deeper….ah! I chose…when? You mean…ah! You don't….nngh….want it to?" She was moving against him now, grinding into his thrusts, seeking to make that handsome face contort in pleasure, loving seeing his eyes flutter closed.

"I don't….want…to give you up…ever…so now…ngh! Gods woman! Now it is your choice if we part ways…If I have my way…we wont…" He replied breathlessly.

Canas eyes widened and she pushed hard, twisting her body and throwing him over rolling them so she was suddenly on top of him, clamping her thighs to his hips and sitting up, looking down at him, hands on his hard abs.

Lavender eyes met hers, hazy with lust and he bared his teeth, pushed his head back as she thrust down on him, rotating her hips and tilting them so he came deeper into her body as she did.

"What does that mean?" She demanded, mind suddenly sharp even while she started riding him. Was he talking about some sort of commitment? Not ever wanting their relationship to end?

"Yes…"He grabbed her hips, making her still because he just couldn't think with her doing what she was doing, she felt too good. "Yes a commitment…whatever type you want…gods woman did you think you could fuck me like you have for the last month and I wouldn't want to keep you? You're brilliant, you challenge me, you make me think, work, to keep up with you and not just in bed." He smiled up at her then, it was a wicked, sexy look and even with him buried deep inside her she ached for him more, felt her body clamp down on him and he bit his lip when it did.

"Cana, you've ruined me…no woman could compare to you after this last couple of months, you own me woman. If you want to end us, I'm man enough I can walk away if it's what you want, but I'm also man enough to admit you've taken me. I want you with me, I want to take you to Bosco and pray you'll love it enough to stay." He told her.

She stared down at him, into those pale lavender eyes that had become synonymous to passion for her and more, comfort, affection…love?

Gods did she love him? Was it possible to love someone you'd spent only a couple of months with? Granted, they'd spent a large portion of that time fucking each others brains out but she'd never felt closer or more comfortable with a man than she did with Kaleb, never wanted one so badly even after fucking him relentlessly.

If anything she wanted him more now than she had before the first time she'd had him. Could you even fall in love that way?

He pushed his hands over her cheeks, cradling her face so she focused. "I have." He told her and she blinked, it was still a little disorienting having him answer her thoughts when she hadn't spoken a question.

Her eyes widened. "You…" She breathed and he nodded, pulling her down to kiss her "Yes…so clearly its possible." He chuckled.

She smiled, it was love she felt, she hadn't been sure, she'd not felt quite like this for anyone before, this deep need for them, this relentless desire to be by their side, only being truly comfortable, truly at peace when they were there. She felt that way with Kaleb though, like he was almost the air she breathed now.

She smirked "I guess if anyone was ever going to fuck her way into love it would be me."

He laughed, then made her gasp by thrusting hard up into her "Oh…you sure fucked me there, now lets just explore that shall we?" He teased and she braced her hands on him again, narrowing her eyes "Oh baby, I'm gonna ride you so hard you'll scream how much you love me…" she promised and Kaleb narrowed his eyes, tightening his abs and belly as she came down on him so hard she almost ran the breath out of him "Make me scream Cana…." He challenged.

Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Cana was soaking in the large tub in Kalebs suite when she heard his com lacrima trill where he sat in the sitting area completing paperwork for her exchange visa to White Sea.

She wasn't certain how long she would stay, but following love was certainly one of the best reasons she'd ever made a decision, She'd have to call her father and let him know, he'd wanted her to go in the first place, and he knew about her relationship with Kaleb, had even done his Daddy duty and threatened the Guild Master of fucking White Sea that if he made Cana cry Gildarts would personally disassemble their guild hall starting with the Masters housing on the top floors.

She heard him pick up the lacrima.

"Master Kaleb." Came a masculine voice.

"Minister Arden, what have my guild members done now?" Cana smirked, well, Kaleb didn't waste time with pleasantries any more than Master Makarov did.

"Not just a guild member Master Kaleb, your brother, his status with White Sea though is why he is not facing actual domestic charges for interference with the establishment of a marriage contract." The Minister replied.

Cana slid to the other end of the tub to peer out into the sitting area and saw Kaleb, sitting in only a towel, his long hair still wet from their very pleasant shower together and he was pinching the bridge of his nose as if in pain.

"Since my other brothers are either on a diplomatic mission for our country or in stable relationships I'm going to assume you mean Vander." He sighed.

"Indeed I do Master Kaleb, Vander Pradesh is in route to you as we speak under guard to assure he actually goes all the way to you since you are still on remote duty in Fiore. Because of the current situation with Seven and your personal as well as your guilds immense actions assisting our countries interests, I am going to overlook your brother having sex with the Mayor of Autumn Citys daughters, BOTH of them the night before their engagements were to be announced to high ranking individuals in the court there in Fiore. Princess Kurino herself has already extracted her own…ahh…punishment from your brothers flesh and assured the King of Fiore we were handling Vanders punishment. Her majesty requests you adequately drive home the concept that while on mission in Fiore he should not act as he would in Bosco, your brother could have caused an international incident during a very fractious time Master Kaleb." The minister said.

Kaleb looked calmly into the lacrima. "Oh…I'll make sure he understands Minister, you can assure her highness of that." He said firmly.

"That is a good thing Master Kaleb. Her majesty also wished me to let you know she will be in Crocus in two weeks, and while aware you had planned to begin your return to Bosco then she would like you to alter your plans so that you can personally attend to her for the 5 days of her stay since your brother Cristoff is now married and so no longer available, it has been more than a year since you last served her." There was a nasty edge to the Ministers voice now Cana didn't like, and she knew "attending" someone meant sex was on the table. She frowned, climbing from the tub and flipping the drain open before wrapping herself in a towel and heading out to where Kaleb was sitting.

She thought Boscans got to say no, that they could choose, she knew they were a very open society, but there were actual laws protecting peoples ability to enjoy that freedom.

"I understand Minister, I'll look into changing my plans. Was there anything else?" Kaleb asked.

"No that is all Master Kaleb, your brother should be arriving in Magnolia either late today or tomarrow." The Minister replied and the com went dark as Cana slid down into Kalebs lap, carefully arranging herself so she straddled his hips and could sit comfortably on his thighs.

Kaleb had let his head fall back against the back of the couch with a groan. "Fucking Vander…" He smirked…"Literally, the horny little shit." He was shaking his head and raised both arms to push his hands into his damp hair, delighting Cana because it gave her the pleasant feeling of his body stretching, muscle flexing including everything in front of her along with wonderful access to his neck which she was pleased to see bore some nice marks from her last night still.

She leaned in to bite his neck, smiling when he growled at her.

"I'm trying to plan a murder, that's hard to do with you turning me on." He was smiling when he lifted his head and she pulled back to look at him.

"You don't look angry." She observed. He wrapped his arms around her loosely, leaning in to kiss her lightly.

"Vander is Vander, my baby brother hasn't kept it in his pants since his induction ceremony when he was fucking ten. He's almost 19 now and while Cristoff was always the most ah…prolific of all of us as far as how often and how many women he would have sex with and stir up into all sorts of drama, Vander started surpassing him shortly before Cristoff was sent to Fiore. Father juggles stacks of marriage offers and…complaints about Vanders activities to the point even my older brother Farron has had to step in and start helping manage all the trouble he gets into. As Vanders Guild Master though, I am usually the one left to dole out the punishments." He sighed.

Cana was trying not to snicker, Vander sounded like fun.

"So then, what sort of punishment are you planning, aside from murder?" She asked.

"Well, he regained his S-class status 8 months ago, I had demoted him and stripped him of it but, I allowed him to go through the trials again and he passed, of course, 8 months is actually the longest he's ever held his rank to be honest. So demoting him doesn't work, I need to do something with him that will help force feed some responsibility into him…" He sighed shaking his head.

Cana smiled "I'll help you come up with something…actually, our guild has someone who is in trouble right now for being a self absorbed shit, maybe the two should do something together…"

A few days earlier a steadily growing problem had reared its head in an embarrassing and potentially dangerous way that had also been one of the reasons Natsu had been sent off with the Raijinshuu two days ago.

Lisanna Straus had returned from Edolas handicapped by years of no magic use. That had been further made worse, unwittingly, by her brother and sister spoiling the hell out her because they were so glad to have her back from the dead. The whole guild really took responsibility in that too, everyone had indulged Lisanna, made a big deal out of her, over encouraged, over praised, over protected her and the girl had, to put it nicely, become a spoiled prissy little bitch.

When Lucy and Cobra had mated and it was suddenly clear Lucy and Natsu were not a thing at all, and Lucy was spending less time with Team Natsu because of her missions with Laxus' team and Cobra. Lisanna had gotten it in her head she and Natsu were meant to be together.

Mira, being Mira, had encouraged it at first, thinking it was sweet her little sister had a crush on her childhood friend. But Lisanna was jealous, possessive. She went on missions with team Natsu since Lucy wasn't available and caused all sorts of trouble, she didn't practice her magic, would whine about being tired and would bring up how her time in Edolas had strained her connection to her magic and made it unpleasant to push herself very hard.

So magically, she was weak, and her transformations were still childlike, fluffy bunnies in cutesy colors, fancy pretty birds, and when it wasn't that, she'd go for over the top sexy kitties, leaving so much skin bare she was horrifically vulnerable and easy to injure.

Team Natsu spent so much time protecting her during fights they would get injured themselves, especially Erza and Gray since Lisanna seemed to endlessly angle things so she was with Natsu and would distract him so much his team mates were left open to attacks they were expecting him and Lisanna to prevent.

This got Bickslow involved after the third time Erza came home injured and the Seith had no ties to Lisanna nor any particular affection for her beyond her being a guild mate to hold him back.

"She's got no fucking business going on missions if all she wants to do is eye fuck Natsu and put the team in danger preening herself to try and get his attention!" Bickslow had snapped. Mira had jumped to her sister defense then.

"She's still getting her feet under her! She has a right to earn a living Bickslow, not everyone is raking in jewel on double s-class missions with the Raijinshuu!" She had returned.

"Don't turn that shit around Mira, I train and work out every fucking day so I deserve my place on the team I'm with, all your sister does is her fucking nails and hair! That's why after all these years she's still as weak as she was when she got sucked into Edolas! You've had plenty of time to get up to speed damn it!" Bickslow hadn't backed down, pointing right at Lisanna, he wasn't usually one to argue either, it had been strange watching it happen, but Erza was up in the infirmary with Wendy and Cristoff and he'd come downstairs to confront Lisanna after finding out why his girlfriend was so beat up.

Juvia had been on his heels too, seeing Gray in the same state. So two mages were glaring at Lisanna who had stood next to her sister glaring defiantly back at them.

"I lost my connection to my magic Bickslow, that takes time to get back." Lisanna snapped. The Seith snorted "Years? Really? Why even bother Lisanna? If your magic means so little to you that you wont even train more than once every couple of weeks or so, and then whining so fucking loud the whole time the whole guild gets to listen to you while Mira wipes your damn nose and fixes your diaper for you and tells you it's all ok. All that just so you can keep your lips firmly attached to Natsus ass and while you're dragging him down you leave Erza and Gray open to attacks that should never come their way! That was supposed to be a simple day job Lisanna, but you fucked shit up so bad Erza and Gray got hurt and you care so little all you're doing now is bitching about not getting to go in to see the master with Natsu?!" Bickslow was furious and Mira looked just tortured, the She-devil knew what her sister was doing was wrong, it tore her up seeing guildmates injured because of her sisters immature games and relentless pursuit of Natsu, but she loved her.

Lisanna had laughed then. "Oh come off it Bix, not everyone has to train all the time, I have stable strong magic I can enjoy, I'm not stuck training like mad because I don't have evil freakish magic like you! It's not like if I lose control someone's soul could ripped out of them, if anyone is a threat to their team it's you." She sneered.

Everyone had gasped, silence had fallen over the hall and Mira turned wide horrified eyes on her sister. Everyone knew how hard Bickslow worked not just to keep himself in peak strength, but to maintain complete mastery of his magic. The fact he was sensitive about it was something he hid well, but Lisanna had somehow found a cruel place to stab at the Seith.

Bickslow looked at Mira "Either she trains and learns how to pull her weight, or she's got no business going on any mission where her participation or lack there of can cause others to get hurt. We don't hurt our own Mira, we don't put them in harms way, you fucking know that, now tach that shit to your baby sister because until she gets it, I'm putting my foot down, My girlfriend isn't going on missions with Lisanna."

With that Bickslow had turned his back and headed for the infirmary. "Yeah? Well good! She only held Natsu back anyway! Always bossing him around like she's some sort of dictator, she blames him for everything! Erza's just a bossy heartless bitch." Lisanna had snapped after him.

The slap echoed through the guild hall, Lisanna was holding her reddened cheek when Bickslow had stopped and turned. Mira had back handed her, and seeing it, Bickslow silently continued back to the infirmary while Mira glared at her sister.

"I'm ashamed of you…how could you say something like that? Erza is upstairs hurt because she was protecting you Lisanna, because you won't train, you wont even try…I'm speaking to the master, you need to be suspended from going on any missions at all until you prove you're committed to the actual work, not just following Natsu around." Mira said brokenly.

"What?! Mira! No! You can't do that! I don't need to train Mira! You said I was strong, plenty strong enough for missions!" The young woman cried and Mira shook her head.

"No, you're not Lisanna…this proves it, I should have done this the first time you came back and Gray was hurt because of what you had done, leaving him alone while you went to find Natsu during a fight…this is my fault, go home Lisanna." The last she'd said firmly, glaring at her sister, and the youngest Straus had screamed, knocked a tray of glasses on the floor and stormed from the Guild.

That had been the same day the Raijinshuu had been called to Peace Village. Master Makarov planned to punish Lisanna, and had suspended her from taking missions until she was training and showing a commitment to her magic.

Lisannas time in Edolas had seemed to sever her ties to her magic in many ways.

"Really?" Kaleb quirked a brow at Cana and the card mage smiled, nodding her head. "What sort of mage is Vander?" She asked.

Kaleb smiled faintly "You probably don't know the magic, it's a lost type, was last seen in Bosco in the Berulli Clan he came from several hundred years ago, magic you're born with, not magic you learn. Vander is a Shadowquip mage. Like a re-quip except the armor and weapons are composed of shadow magic and created by him, controlled by him, when he fights, he can adapt the armor and weapons to counter his opponents. Most of what he does though is covert work, lots of undercover jobs and he's incredibly good at it all, disciplined, works freakishly hard at training and honing his magic and his combat skills, it's why he makes S-class. If he could keep his dick in his pants and stop getting into trouble with it he would have made double s century class last year but I have to keep demoting him, busting him back down into average ranks." Kaleb sighed.

Cana grinned "Trains freakishly hard huh?"

Kaleb nodded "Yeah, it's the only thing he works at, not his manners, not his people skills unless it's perfecting luring women into his bed, he's very dedicated to his magic and combat skills, he trained with the masters who taught Bickslow his gymnastics and acrobatics. Was Knighted two years ago, then demoted and kicked out of the order because he convinced a maiden of light to fuck him." Kaleb couldn't prevent his smile then, had Vander been there, or anyone really other than Cana, he wouldn't have, but secretly he'd always thought that was funny. His little brothers crowning achievement in debauchery.

"A maiden of light?" Cana was interested in this, it had to be a good story.

"Women who declare complete dedication to the order of Light practice a discipline of celibacy among other things to keep their minds focused completely on their combat skills as Knights of the Order. They are the highest ranking Knights, men can't ascend that high in the Order at all. About 6 months after he was knighted, Vander and the Lieutenant Commander of the Maidens of Light were caught fucking each others brains out in the chapel. The Maiden was demoted to a regular knight and Vander was kicked out of the order." Kaleb snickered, unable to stop himself.

Cana laughed, "Oh I am so looking forward to meeting your brother."

Kaleb grinned "He's actually a very fun person, just…well…lecherous a bit into the extreme. So you have a guildmate who might need to face punishment on the same scale?"

Cana nodded "We need to talk to the master, but if your brother is a training freak…he could deliver hell to my guild mate, and as big of a lazy brat as she is, she'll make him miserable."

Xoxoooxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Mira was grinning, Makarov was too as Kaleb and Cana laid everything out to them.

"Lisanna is totally obsessed with Natsu, so no chance he could seduce her, you're sure he wouldn't try to force her?" Miras smile fell looking at Kaleb who shook his head "No, no chance of that, in our country rape is punishable by public castration and the removal of the penis, there is no chance at all he would ever risk that. He knows if he did I'd cut his dick off myself. He only sleeps with very willing partners." Kaleb assured her. Mira nodded "Then I agree if you do Master." She looked at Makarov who smiled.

"I think this could benefit everyone involved, and teach two young wizards some very important lessons." He nodded and Kaleb stood "Then I'll handle it if that's allright with you Master Makarov, I need to go get Vander from the train station and situated in quarters anyway. You're sure, when I do leave, you won't mind having him here?"

Makarov grinned "Not at all, and if things go as we expect it could be a while before he's ready to return to Bosco." The Master held up the other papers Kaleb had set before him, and Mira now grinned at Cana.

"Your exchange Visa for Bosco Cana, I approve it. I approve of all of it." He winked and Cana grinned. "Kaleb…" Master Makarov fixed a pointed look at the younger man, discarding his title from this. Kaleb met his stern gaze.

"You take good care of my children." Makarov wasn't smiling now and Kaleb bowed "White Sea is huge, but we are still Nakama Master Makarov, now we add Fairy Tail to that as Fairy Tail embraces us. I will watch over them as if they were mine, and…Canas father is already at my guild and has assured me he will take it apart brick by brick if I don't keep his daughter happy…I believe him."

Kaleb had then left the office, Cana with him. Thane fell into step with them as they left the guild hall. "The train is due in within the hour Master." Thane was saying as they walked. "Good, you have everything arranged? Master Makarov approved it all." Kaleb asked and Thane nodded.

"Good."

"Kaleb…I have a question." Can said as they walked and Kaleb gave her his attention, eyes curious he nodded and she narrowed her eyes on him.

"What exactly did the minister mean when he said you would be attending Princess Kurino in two weeks?" She asked. Cana had never been possessive or jealous of any man in her life, but she felt those things now, and she wasn't certain she had the right to really, she wasn't even really sure, beyond lovers what her and Kaleb really were to each other but the man had asked her to come to Bosco with him, told her he wanted to keep her, admitted he loved her. That had to mean something.

"Princess Kurino has legal right to demand unpromised, unmarried citizens attend her pleasures. Unlike it is with all other citizens of Bosco, unless married or promised no citizen can refuse the request of a member of the royal family." Thane answered calmly, he'd already moved Kalebs plans around to accommodate time in Crocus for the princess. He didn't like it any more than he knew his master did, Kurinos violent tastes were well known, and she seemed to take a particular interest in the Pradesh family, she'd focused on Cristoff a lot since Farron and Kaleb were often busy and able to make themselves unavailable easier but Cristoff was mated and married now, off limits even to the Princess.

She would likely be taking a much stronger interest in Vander, now that she'd finally had him, Kaleb had been trying to keep his baby brother shielded from the Princess, and had been successful until this latest transgression.

The Princess enjoyed the Guild Masters strength, like she had with Cristoff she liked the bigger more powerfully built brothers, so if Vander hadn't shown her much, her focus would fall hard on Kaleb since Vander was less heavily built than his older brother. Kurino liked men who bore up well under her toys and Kaleb did.

"What is "Promised" exactly, is it like being engaged?" Cana asked then. Again Thane replied, Kaleb rolling his eyes at his aids enthusiasm for being helpful.

"Being promised is not engagement, it is a commitment of monogamy leading to engagement, the commitment you both intend to advance your relationship to that level in time and while doing so, will keep yourselves exclusively for each other. In Bosco it is legally binding and many couples remain Promised rather than actually becoming engaged or married because the penalties for straying are less severe and a Promise agreement can be dissolved easily, where an engagement requires a good deal of paperwork to dissolve and Marriage can not be ended at all." Thane explained.

Cana nodded thoughtfully but said nothing else as they came to the train station.

They didn't have to wait long, the train pulled in and people started getting off of it.

"There he is…" Kaleb nodded and Cana followed his gaze. It seemed none of Bickslows brothers disappointed when it came to looks. The baby of the family was tall, something they all were, His hair was black with rusty red highlights from obvious time in the sun, it hung in long wavy layers to his collar, the slight wave giving his hair a tousled look and his eyes were stunning, a deep burgundy. He had the same build as Bickslow, lithe instead of the thicker muscle Kaleb and Cristoff had.

He wore dark almost black red leather armor that was familiar, cut similar to what Cana had seen Cristoff in many times now. Boots, the snug pants, snug fitted sleeveless jerkin that came down a few inches below his belt. There were two long daggers on his right thigh and another was held above his left bicep by an ornate scabbard strapped there.

The skin that showed was the same deep tan typical of Boscans and his cocky smile fit the mark as well.

Meeting his brothers gaze, which was not friendly nor did he wear an answering smile the young man rolled his eyes.  
"Gods, you look more serious people will think you're a statue brother."

"Master Kaleb would be the correct way to address your Guild Master Vander." Thane snapped and Vanders laughing eyes fixed on the aid.

"Yeah? Thanks for the reminder asskisser…uh…Masters Aid Asskisser." He bowed and Cana pressed her lips together to keep from snickering.

"Knock it off you little shit before I demote to A-class. I'll fill you in on what your facing for your latest dumb ass stunt while we walk." Kaleb snapped and Cana saw a flicker of worry cross the defiant dark red gaze before the eyes turned to her and filled with interest, a smile returning to the soft looking mouth.

"I didn't know they were getting engaged, didn't know the third one was their damn mother or married and who are you and why has my rude brother neglected introducing us?" Vander started to reach for Canas hand but Kaleb slapped it away.

"Rein in your hormones Jackass, you're already in enough trouble. This is Cana, she's with me and that's all you need to know about her right now. What the ever loving FUCK do you mean the "third one" I was only told about two!" Kaleb snarled grabbing his brother by the scruff of the neck and wrenching him away from Cana to walk on the opposite side of him from her.

Vander adjusted his clothes where Kaleb had rumpled them and shrugged "Princess Kurino already exacted punishment for that, said she went easy on me since I wasn't accustomed to married women being willing to approach men for sex like they seem to do here in Fiore." Vander growled

"And I'm NOT and that's the only reason it happened, didn't even occur to me as a possibility, right along with the twins about to announce being engaged to those fat old men that were marrying them," The young man cringed and waved a hand as if to dismiss the idea before continuing in disgust.

"Did you know they actually allow that shit here? Trophy wives they call them…messed up shit seriously, those two were only 17 and the men marrying them were both in their damn 60s, probably can't even get their dicks hard enough to fuck em in the first place! What I did was a service to those girls, probably the last time they'll ever get an orgasm with sex." He declared.

Cana bit her lip, Gods she loved Kalebs younger brother already.

"Enjoy Princess Kurinos company?" Kaleb asked and Cana saw the younger man shudder in spite of himself, looking at Kaleb with a dark glare "Not funny. I get why you and Cristoff used to fight about who got stuck dealing with her now."

Kaleb nodded "And now you're on her list, with Cristoff married she'll be after you and I more than ever."

Vander made a face "Why did he get married anyway? I thought he was never going to go down with that ship. He taught me how to handle multiple women in bed, I looked up to him…"

Kaleb rolled his eyes, something he seemed to do a lot around his younger brother.

"You still should, he found his mate Vander, and you'll find the woman you want to keep for yourself one day." Kaleb said.

Vander snorted "Yeah…sure, one woman for the rest of my life? Pfft."

"Ok, so put me out of my misery already, what are you gonna do to me over the twins huh? I told you I didn't know, and I didn't, they didn't tell me, I was at the estate because I'd tracked a fucking Sevenese Berserker and handler to one of the groundskeepers supply sheds, the twins were out walking in the garden and the berserker scented them and went after them, I killed it and the handler, damsels in distress got all emotional about almost dying and wanted to fuck their savior, I didn't even know where the hell I was or their damn names until some guy finds us in a flowerbed, and by the way, sex in a flowerbed…yeah…not doing that again. twins yes, flowerbeds no." Vander had stepped in front of Kaleb to stop him and Cana turned her head away this time, biting her lip again.

"You're going to train and take some missions with one of Fairy Tails take over mages." Kaleb replied, Cana was impressed with his calm cool expression, Vander was just….well shit, she wasn't sure how to describe the young man, like Bickslow turned up a few notches maybe, throw in some of Cristoffs sex drive also turned up a bit it seemed.

What made him just amazing as a package was he had the fucking looks, the young man was drop dead gorgeous, Cana had no doubt two little noble girls kept away and preserved to be married off to two dirty ugly old geezers to advance their families interests had been more than eager to show their thanks to this hot young man for saving them.

Hell any sheltered little virgin would be glad to lose it someone that hot.

Hell, if she weren't already plenty satisfied with his older brother she'd be thinking about rocking the cradle a little herself. It wasn't even rocking it hard, he was almost 19 and she was 24.

They were standing in the middle of the street and Cana was trying to hide her amusement, noticing young women, even older women, were almost breaking their necks turning to stare at the two men and she wasn't sure if she was entirely amused by that seeing as how she was a bit possessive of one of them.

"I'm training someone? A Fairy Tail mage? Why? I mean I know you sistered us to the guild but why have me train one of their mages? What, does he suck?" Vander asked, stepping aside so his brother could resume walking.

"Lazy, lets their team mates do the work, even endangers them for selfish reasons. You're going to get their magic up to where it should be and once you think they're ready you'll run some jobs with them, I want them capable of soloing jobs before I'll accept your commitment as fulfilled and let you come home." Kaleb told him sternly.

Vander groaned "Great, I'm babysitting some lazy shit without a moral compass."

Kaleb smirked at him "Much like yourself in the last part."

Vander rolled his eyes "Please, I still haven't fucked half as many women as Cristoff or Bickslow and you know I usually do things right. Women just don't always tell me all they should before we get into things." His tone reeked of innocence and Kaleb snorted

"Because you don't ask, you don't even learn their names if you can avoid it." He pointed out.

Vander followed him across the lobby of the hotel and into the elevator "Yeah well they never complain, and I follow the rules, never more than twice with any of them, no more than once if they seem really into me. Dad says the stacks for me are almost even now, I'm getting better." He grinned.

Kaleb narrowed his eyes "Considering those stacks are marriage offers and complaints it's not a good thing they're almost even Vander."

Vander shrugged, as far as he was concerned it was progress toward becoming more like his older brothers.

Cana couldn't wait to see him take Lisanna on.

Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxxoxoxoxo

Emzadi awoke to the feel of a cool hand and the and a comforting familiar scent. Opening her eyes she met familiar midnight blue ones and lunged up from her bed, wrapping herself around her older brother joyfully.

"Tebah! Oh Gods I've missed you!" She cried, kissing his cheeks and beaming up at him.

Cristoff grinned back at her "I missed you too Emi. I almost knocked Kaleb out when he sent you on without me even getting to see you."

Wendy saw Emzadi jump up and smiled, the raw joy she felt from her mate was undeniable and had her grinning by the time she got over to the happy siblings. Cristoff was kissing his sisters forehead when Wendy came up beside him and Emzadi instantly met her eyes.

Dragons reared up inside the two females but as Emzadis met the first female Dragon Slayer she'd ever encountered she also was saturated in her beloved brothers scent, carried his name in draconian clearly on her neck and Emzadi was delighted, until now the only other Dragon Slayer she had ever known was Cristoff, she hoped to meet some of the others, she understood Fairy Tail was home to 6 now including her brother.

She had met the twins from Sabertooth, even been heavily flirted with by the blonde, and while he'd been fun…a lot of fun…he wasn't for her even though he said he wanted to be. He'd have to find her island on the Grass Sea all the way in Bosco if he wanted a chance at her, she wouldn't rise to a challenge here, not for a male that only excited her body, not her dragon.

He'd been good, had been a wonderful distraction from the fighting, it had been a nice change of pace having sex with a male that she didn't have to worry about hurting, but after a couple of times in his bed Emzadi had seen his dragons interest in possessing her rise and she had withdrawn, asked her brother to send her ahead so Sting could cool down.

She wouldn't tell Cristoff that though, she knew he'd scold her for toying with a fellow Dragon Slayer, but she'd been unable to help her interest and the dark one had been too shy, the blonde had just been so easy to get into bed with.

"You are my brothers mate…" She grinned and Wendy nodded "I'm so happy to finally meet you, I've heard so much about you."

Emzadi shoved Cristoff aside, something he wasn't unaccustomed to and took with a shake of his head as his sister bolted from the bed past him and swept a startled Wendy into her arms, lifting the other woman right off her feet and spinning her around.

"We are sisters now you and I! We shall be great friends, close confidants!" Emzadi declared brightly and Wendy was laughing, caught up in the infectious joy of the other woman.

"Ah! I am disgusting right now! How long was I out?" Emzadi said abruptly, putting Wendy back down and stepping back, wrinkling her nose.

Cristoff shook his head "Two days" He snickered.

Ezadis eyes widened "Two days without a bath?! Cristoff I thought you loved me! Ansa meya, men have no thoughts to these things! Wendy, the Guild Hall has a womens hot bath, you must come with me! We can sit and I can clean up while I tell you horrible embarrassing stories about my brother!" She grinned.

Cristoff frowned "Ahh, I don't think so." He protested and Wendy was grinning at him as wickedly as his sister.

He sighed "Gods help me."

Emzadi laughed "I hope they do because I wont! Not after you left me stinking in a bed for two days!" she declared.

Cristoff frowned "And what was I supposed to do about that?" He demanded.

"You could have carried me to the bath and Wendy could have cleaned me up so I did not have to stink of dead Sevenese Berserkers for two days!" Emzadi responded and Wendy could only laugh at her husbands exasperated frown.

Emzadi grabbed Wendys hand and tugged her along with her before suddenly halting so fast Wendy almost collided with the taller womans back.

"Wait…how did you cure that Cristoff? It was blood magic wasn't it?" She demanded.

"The fire slayer with us, he fed you his fire and burned it out of you." Cristoff replied. Emzadi stared at him for a moment, impressed. "I look forward to meeting him then, I'll need to thank him. But not while I stink!" And she took off, almost yanking Wendy off her feet, leaving her brother smiling and shaking his head.

xoxooooxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

A/N yes I know Lisanna is a little OOC, my AU and I've always seen her a a little bratty anyway. I usually try to avoid her, never liked her, but I've got ideas for her here. I hope you all like Vander...DESNA


	36. Chapter 36 Sparring

A week had passed, Thanksgiving along with it, and in a few days most of the guild was planning to be in Akane Beach. Kaleb sat with Cana on the second floor balcony overlooking the training area behind the guild.

Mira had brought them a nice lunch and drinks and joined them, the trio was intently watching White Sea and Fairy Tails currently forced together partners work.

The initial meeting and first day of work hadn't been pretty. Kaleb still cringed a little if he thought about it.

Lisanna had already been pouting and glaring unhappily at the sand floor of the training ring when Makarov, Mira and Kaleb had walked in with Vander.

"Lisanna, this is Vander, you two will be partners until such time as Lisanna is able to solo missions safely." Makarov said.

"I won't need to solo anything, I'll always have Natsu with me." Lisanna muttered but she was ignored.

Kaleb saw Vanders initial interest in the pretty girl and had calmly explained things to Lisanna, ignoring her eye rolls and impatient sighs and looking at her nails as well as her sister slapping her hands down when she started ignoring everyone to fiddle with said nails.

"Vander has been handling a lot of the training of new mages to White Sea, he is one of our top undercover people and can wield any type of weapon with skill, he holds an s-class rank though he once held double s-class and he runs classes for children which is why I think you might be experienced enough to work with him Lisanna." Kaleb said the last with a smirk and it took the young woman moment to realize he'd just insulted her because she was so preoccupied with looking petulant.

"Are you saying you think I'm no better than a child?!" She snapped then. Kaleb barrowed his eyes "You act like a bratty 5 year old." He replied.

He had no patience for this sort of thing, this was a grown woman acting like a child, spoiled so badly she'd become a nuisance to her guild. He'd already told Makarov were she in White Sea, she would BE in White Sea anymore displaying the attitude she had regardless of her families history with the guild.

She was a year older than Vander and even as irresponsible as Vander could get, hed always pulled his weight and had never let a team mate get injured if her were in any way capable of preventing it.

Vander may be a horrible playboy, but he was a dedicated and loyal mage to his guild. Lisanna really could learn from him, and driving sense into the pampered little pain in the ass might just drive some lessons Vander needed himself home.

"You can't talk that way to me, I'm only a few years younger than you and you're a Guild Master." She snapped.

"A position he earned through hard work, dedication and loyalty to his guild Lisanna, all things you need to learn." Makarov said tightly. Lisanna bristled. But Mira had silenced her with a look.

So the introduction hadn't gone well, and a week into working together hadn't made anything better either.

"You hit me!" Lisanna shrieked.

Vander stood a few feet from her, smirking "That's what happens when you don't bother to dodge, parry or counter attack. I thought we'd covered the whole, I'm going to hurt you if you let me thing….forgot? Ok…Lisanna, I'm going to fucking hurt you if you let me."

She kicked the sand, getting back to her feet "I SAID I wasn't ready!" She snarled.

Vander shrugged "and I've told you enemies don't give you time outs to fix your hair." He returned.

"I wasn't fixing my hair!" Lisanna shouted, shaking with rage.

Vander looked her up and down "Yeah, obviously, look, there's no helping how you look in battle princess, react or I'm going to hurt you and laugh at you for letting me."

She rushed him and Vander side stepped her with easy grace tipping a foot out and tripping her then smacking her ass with the flat of the practice sword he held as she stumbled and fell on her face.

This time he really did laugh at her.

Lisanna shifted into her tiger form, leaping at him and roaring in fury but he dodged her and again sent her sprawling into the sand this time on her side, he didn't even stop laughing. Holding his side with one arm while slapping her again as she passed with the other.

She switched into a semi scorpion form, poison dripping from her tail as she whipped around with a snarl.

Up on the second floor deck Mira gasped "She can't use that form, she doesn't know what the poison does! She could hurt him! Cobra and the healers aren't here!"

Kaleb frowned, and stood, going to the rail and catching Vanders eye he gave him a thumbs down sign and Vander changed. Cana and Miras eyes widened as shadows swirled around the man for a few moments, when they stopped he was in shining black armor edged with red, clawed metal gauntlets on his hands and a black helm covering his head, a long slender black sword was in one hand, a shield in the other.

He started toward Lisanna with clear intent and the young womans rage died almost immediately when presented with an opponent that was suddenly serious. Vander gave her all of two seconds to react then he flew at her.

His attacks were merciless, Lisanna tried to fight him, at first out of anger, but then in desperation. As fast and hard as his hits made contact though none of Lisannas blood seemed to start flowing.

Lisannas pained gasps gave way to whimpers and finally she transformed back to her usual self, laying on her back hands up, staring down the length of the black sword.

"You pull out a deadly weapon, you had better be fucking ready to back that shit up. You think I was just going to stand there and let you wing me with that shit?" Vander growled at her, he shook his head and the black helmet faded off of him, seeming to just melt away, his black hair falling free again over his burgundy eyes as he glared down at Lisanna who stared back up at him wide eyed.

He was about to give her a hand back to her feet when she suddenly made a sneering face at him and rolled to the side and the scorpions tail shot out from the sand beneath her at him.

Mira and Cana both screamed but Vander reacted fast enough, with a smooth move he lunged sideways, caught Lisannas tail with his shield and crushed it, planting a boot into the shield to drive the edge of the shield into the groove under the barb on the tip to snap the barb off, Lisanna screamed in pain when he did it.

This time when he stood back he kicked dirt over her and stalked from the ring, when he got to the edge under Kaleb he glared up at his brother.

"You want me to train that? I hunt and kill pieces of shit like that, dirty self absorbed dark mages who are willing to kill over the smallest slight. That's not even a mage, she's gone dark, you saw her, she was willing to kill me, that's how bad she is, she'd rather kill someone than work. I can't train what won't learn." Vander snarled and then left.

Mira had flown down to the ring, stood over her sister in her full satan soul looking at her. "Are you going to attack me next? Maybe Elfman?" She demanded.

Lisanna had truly shifted fully back to her normal form and cradled her left hand where the fingernails were now missing, blood running down her fingers.

She held her hand up "You saw what he did to me and you're mad at ME?" She cried.

"You could have killed him Lisanna, you don't even know what kind of poison is in that scorpion tail!" Mira snapped back at her.

Lisanna glared at her "I don't care! He's not Fairy Tail, I don't owe him anything! He's just some Boscan asshole that got in trouble fucking the wrong women! He hit me, I'm going to have bruises all over me and he ripped my fucking nails out Mira!"

"He broke off a poisoned barb you tried to kill him with, that it was even there was your fault not his. You've been acting like a monster all week toward him and everyone else!" Mira shouted at her.

Lisanna looked at her with wide surprised eyes, Mira never yelled or shouted.

"I just want to go join Natsu, this is all so stupid Mira, you know I can fight, you know I'm a strong mage, you've said so for years!" Lisanna cried back at her.

"I lied!" Mira screamed "All those times I told you you were doing fine, all those times I reassured you you were strong and a good mage I was lying so you wouldn't get upset! I pitied you being away from your magic for so long, you're weak Lisanna, and you're transformations are childish and embarrassing. If you don't train hard, use this chance, you're going to be kicked out of Fairy Tail, you think Natsu will be impressed by that?!"

Lisanna gaped up at her sister, disbelief in her baby blue eyes and there was nothing Mira could do, nothing she wanted to do. She could scarcely believe Lisanna had tried to kill Vander, Bickslows little brother! The man was trying to help her and she tried to kill him and worse than that, she'd done it in such a dirty underhanded way!

"Get your shit together Lisanna, because Elfman and I are done defending you, you've betrayed us all with what you just did, what you've done to Gray and Erza too, you don't deserve the help you've been offered, you haven't done anything to earn it but I swear if you don't pull yourself together, stop acting like this and use this chance to improve yourself, Elf and I will throw you out when Master Makarov kicks you out of the guild." With that, Mira turned and left the ring, she almost stopped, almost ran back when she heard Lisanna start sobbing but steeled herself, no, that was what had brought them to this point, Lisanna hadn't done anything to deserve reassurance or comfort.

Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxooxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Natsu leaned back against the wall on the front of the Lamia Scale guild hall, watching as Emzadi went through her work out with Cristoff and Bickslow close at hand throwing mild attacks at her. Cristoff was checking to make sure she was back to full strength and her brothers knew her better than anyone, so were pushing her a bit to be certain.

Natsu could only watch, he could still taste her, remember her hand in his hair, the feel of her mouth on his. He had poured his hottest fire all over and into her and she'd drank it down like water, now as heat poured off of her, as her attacks lit the already bright December morning, he wanted to be there where her brothers were, wanted to know her like they did, more than that, he wanted to hold her again, feel her fire, he could smell it, the rich spicy cinnamon mixed with a smoky springtime scent. Her long fiery gold hair flowing around her tanned shoulders as she moved.

He didn't understand fully all of the feelings hitting him, he just knew his dragon was active, very active, and that it wanted the golden haired woman for something involving him. He knew she made his body burn in a way it never had before.

Unlike what was commonly believed about him, he wasn't an innocent clueless man. Eccentric for sure, but he usually had a good idea what was going on. He wasn't virgin either, and a man would have to be blind not to appreciate Emzadis obvious charms.

Full breasts, not as big as Lucy, but just perfect for her, a slim waist and full hips that led into long incredible legs. She was alluring, had a musical laugh, and what was more, she was a dragon slayer, not just that either, Emzadi was powerful, had a ruthless edge to her, a predatory glint in her incredible orange eyes.

It was sexy, attractive…he'd slept with a few women, nothing like Laxus or Bickslow and certainly not in Cristoffs league, but he hadn't been a virgin for a while, got it when he wanted it but right now, what he wanted had a double s century class Dragon Slayer and a double s class Seith Mage as brothers, both of whom were decidedly trying to keep Natsu away from their sister.

How did he get around that?

He'd been trying to figure it out, after just asking had failed and led to Cristoff telling him to his face to get the idea out of his head, demanding to know if his dragon had specifically said Emzadi was his mate, when he admitted it hadn't, that was it, Cristoff told him to forget about her, said she'd been through hell and he wouldn't let Natsu add to her list.

Bickslow had been a little nicer about it, just telling him if dragons weren't pulling them together it was best to leave it alone.

But his dragon did want her, it wasn't specific, and Cristoff had insisted it would be, Wendy and even Cobra backed him up, admitted their dragons had been clear. (Well, Cobras had been but he hadn't realized it until he'd already blundered through half the process without warning Lucy).

So because his dragon wasn't declaring Emzadi his mate and apparently hers wasn't calling him that, her brothers didn't want him anywhere near their sister, or at least no closer than he was now and he didn't want that to continue.

He wanted to know Emzadi, needed to, wanted to test her strength like her brothers were doing, wanted to talk to her, have those orange eyes focused on him…those hands in his hair, those full red lips under his… He shook his head, this was so unlike him.

He should be thinking about Ruby, about where he was going to take her for training when he got back. Gajeel had better be handling her carefully, as much as the older slayer got after him about how to show Ruby things he'd better be doing just that this whole time.

He understood Ruby needed to see how mates interacted, how affection was displayed and how important it was, Fairy Tail wanted to raise their dragon to value love, friendship, kin. Natsu being a single man without even a girlfriend meant he couldn't offer Ruby that and he'd been warned not to show her one night stands.

There was also his problem with Lisanna, the youngest Straus had been nothing short of a pest and sometimes a dangerous nuisance since shortly after Lucy had mated with Cobra.

When she'd returned from Edolas Natsu had found he could easily escape her by going over to Lucys more, something he certainly didn't mind doing since Lucy was a damn good cook and her place was always fun to hang around in.

Lisanna had been clingy but had backed off because of Lucy, but once Lucy mated with Cobra, and Natsu couldn't just spend nights at Lucys anymore, the youngest Straus was endlessly at his door, endlessly following him everywhere and had started going on missions with team Natsu.

Every mission seemed to go wrong worse than any ever had with Lisanna involved, she would scream and throw herself into Natsus arms, beg him to protect her during fights, she'd even started trying to kiss him, during fights! It had resulted in him not being able to hold up his end of things during tight situations and had left Erza and Gray exposed, their backs not covered like they usually were, like they would have been if Natsu weren't wrestling with Lisanna to try and get her to let him the fuck go so he could fight.

They'd been friends as children, she'd always made him uncomfortable though even as a child she'd been creepy with the "I want to be your real wife" and shit, really, what little child talks like that?

But he'd thought it was just a weird sort of creepy game she liked to play and hadn't known any better so he'd played along. Kids played house, he knew they did, not really any kid he knew other than Lisanna back then had, the other kids in Fairy Tail had pretty much played ball games, fighting games, practiced their magic.

Her hanging on him, stalking him, Ruby was picking up on, his frustration got to the whelp and Ruby had taken a disliking toward Lisanna, snarling at her, trying to bite her, especially when Lisanna started trying to coax Natsu into them raising Ruby together like she said they had raised Happy together.

It angered Lisanna that Ruby didn't like her, and she'd struck the whelp, hitting her hard in the head when she'd growled at Lisanna for trying to come up behind Natsu to hug him.

The blow had been hard enough the whelp had yelped and Natsu had spun and slammed Lisanna against the bar as Laxus had bolted from across the room to the whelps side. Lisanna had tried to play it off as an accident but several people had seen her hit the whelp and called her out on that.

She'd then told Natsu he needed to let Wendy and Cristoff raise Ruby. "They're the only mated pair of dragon slayers Natsu, you heard what Cristoff and Gajeel were saying about her needing to see the interactions between mates, especially mated dragon slayers. You can't give her that, you should let her stay with them more." She'd reasoned.

When he'd hesitated she'd gotten angry "I want you to spend more time with me Natsu, I was torn away to Edolas, I lost my connections with everything here, even my magic, and I need you, you and I were so close, you're my best friend doesn't that mean anything to you?!" She'd cried and he'd felt bad then.

But then Gray got hurt on a mission, then Erza and Gray both and both times because Lisanna had just ruined what they were trying to do, sabotaged the team. There was no denying her obsession with Natsu was unhealthy, and Natsu had told her so many times he wasn't interested in her he couldn't figure out how to be more clear.

"Stop hanging around me so much Lisanna, I have my own life, we're friends but it wont ever be more than that and I want you to stop trying to make it that way! Quit trying to hug and kiss me, I don't like it!" He'd snarled at her and she'd cried and he'd let her cry, walked away from her. But the next day it was like it had never happened, she'd run up and hugged him and kissed him on the cheek and he'd shoved her off of him, Ruby had hissed at her and she'd kicked the whelp and that was it.

He'd had to do nothing, drawing the angry whelp in his arms he'd glared at her, she'd started to apologize but he and Ruby had both growled at her, the whelp blowing a ball of fire in her face to stop her from following them.

She'd come on their simple mission that day, had been all over Natsu about forgiving her, letting her have another chance, and when they had started fighting the bandits that had been stealing from the supply warehouse on the south side of town, Lisanna had thrown her arms around Natsu because he'd punched a guy in the face who had taken a swing at Lisanna.

She'd knocking Natsu to the ground and lay on top of him hugging him gratefully for "saving" her going on about knowing he'd cared about her while the men had rushed Erza and Gray and gotten a net over Natsu and Lisanna.

Natsu had burned through the net, managed to beat off the bandits, but the bulk of them escaped and both Erza and Gray were hurt.

He'd told everybody exactly what had happened, Bickslow looking up from Erza while Wendy had been working on her injuries, Juvia crying unhappily watching Cristoff working on Gray.

"In the middle of the fucking fight?" Bickslow had asked incredulously. Natsu had nodded and Makarov had pulled him downstairs to his office to get all of the details and discuss what Natsu wanted to do.

"I want her to stop, I want her to leave me alone, we were friends as kids and all but not now, I don't like her Master, she's nakama, but I don't have romantic feelings for her, I never have. I don't want her coming with my team anymore, I don't want her following me around and I don't want her telling people I'm her boyfriend anymore either, I've told her all of this, so many times I'm tired of saying it, but she won't listen." He'd told Makarov and the Master had sighed.

"My boy I'm sending you with the Raijinshuu to Peace Village, they'll be there for a week, I need to talk to Mirajane about her sister, but I wont allow Lisanna to go to Akane beach when you go and I will speak to Lisanna myself about all of this. Go pack. Ruby will stay with Gajeel and Levy while you're away, I've already made those arrangements."

So now here he was, they'd been going out every day picking off Sevenese who were still in the area, clearing out places where they were trying to hide, or gather. He had to admit, the Raijinshuu were efficient, they rarely damaged anything but their targets.

He liked watching Laxus fight, the older slayer was a monster, and though he'd never admit it, Natsu looked up to him, admired him. He'd turned himself around since the Thunder palace, would make a great Guild Master one day that he'd be proud to follow.

He enjoyed watching Cristoff too, though the man was frustrating him a lot keeping him from Emzadi, though younger than Natsu Cristoff was a beast of a Dragon Slayer, cool, calm in battle, usually he simply supported the team, but when he had to fight, it was clear he was good at it.

Natsu fully intended to have a go at him at some point, he deeply enjoyed challenging the other slayers though usually only Gajeel would step up and take him on. Laxus could still take him down fast and Cobra just refused to get goaded into a fight telling him he refused to upset his mate by killing her best friend.

He kind of wished Lucy was along with them, he could talk to her, she'd be honest with him, would listen to him without making fun of him over his confusion about all of this.

Erza had arrived yesterday, still sporting a few bandages but Wendy had cleared away the last of her injuries and now the knight stood much like him, watching what was happening with Emzadi.

Bickslow had asked Erza to come out here, and Natsu had a feeling it was to help keep him under control which he resented, but he was still glad she was there and looking better.

A blast of roaring flames and intense heat made his eyes widen, he breathed in the rich scent of it, basked in the searing heat, was tempted to pull at it, drink in some of the flames, he'd not done it yet but he wanted to, with Erza watching him though he didn't risk it, he knew she was watching to see if he tried anything.

"Bixy you should not give your babies bodies that are flammable." Emzadi called out in amusement as her brother shot a flaming totem into a snowbank to douse the flames that had engulfed it.

"Don't burn my babies Emi! This is a test not a real fight, I mean if your control is off than maybe you should rest another day." Bickslow shot back and the blonde frowned darkly at him.

"You two can't hold up under my attacks even if I'm holding back, how am I supposed to stretch my legs if I'm kept on my knees? Let me spar with the fire slayer!" She growled.

Natsu stood up then from the wall he was leaning on, a smile tugging at his lips. The orange eyes were on him, just where he wanted them too.

Cristoff growled and Bickslow frowned "I don't think…" Cristoff started to say but Emzadi held up her hand, walking toward Natsu a few steps.

The deep blue veils of silk that made up her strange outfit swilred around her long legs. In what she was wearing she would freeze to death if she were anything but what she was, like Natsu though, the cold didn't affect her. She was best off if the sun could hit her skin, so even though it was below freezing, her shoulders were bare and so was her midriff, showing off her toned flat stomach and the tan silky skin there.

Instead of the green gems of before blue ones adorned the chain across her forehead and those holding her top up from the choker at her throat that matched the veils of silk on her forearms and legs.

"I'll spar with you." Erza volunteered suddenly but Bickslow shook his head "No, Erza baby, I don't doubt for a moment you very well could kick my sisters ass, but you're recovering from some serious injuries and Emzadi is right, she needs to go all out and Natsu can take the heat, your flame empress armor won't work against solar fire."

Bickslow exchanged looks with Cristoff and both men looked unhappy but Cristoff looked at Natsu.

"Allright, if you're willing to spar with Emzadi , Natsu, lets set up outside town so you two don't burn everything down they just rebuilt." He called and Natsu grinned "Oh…I'm willing allright. I'm all fired up!" He growled, fire starting to lick down his arms as he met Emzadis eyes and the other slayer grinned back at him, her hair moving slightly, lifting as heat built around her, he watched the frozen street melt around her, saw light dancing along her arms like his flames were on his.

"Well then…lets see if your flames will amount to more than just a snack for me." She taunted and Natsu growled again, his dragon keening at this chance to try his strength against the female slayer.

They moved to a cleared area outside of town, Laxus, Freed and some of Lamia Scale coming out to watch. Erza came up beside Bickslow and he slid an arm around her.

"I really could have handled her." She said.

Had anyone but Bickslow stepped in then and said what he had, she would have dismissed their protest and demanded the chance at Emzadi, but she had found she rather liked him being protective, nobody had ever been protective of her that way.

That he'd confronted Lisanna and declared she wasn't going on any more missions with Lisanna until the young woman started improving herself had also been a turn on for her, which surprised her. She had always stuck up for herself, always had to, someone else doing it, especially Bickslow, felt good, made her heart warm in her chest.

So she hadn't objected to that either when he'd told her he'd done it. Opting instead to just pull him in for a long kiss and warning him that he didn't own or control her.

"I know I don't, baby, but I can't just stand back and watch this keep happening, it's wrong and Lisanna shouldn't be allowed to keep doing it. If the guild won't stand up and say something because they don't want to hurt the brats fucking feelings, than I will. She hurt you, maybe not directly, but she caused you to get hurt, has done it too many times now, I don't want there to be more." He'd told her.

She'd loved it. When he called asking for help managing Natsu she'd been on the first train out of Magnolia, glad to be going to his side, the reason didn't matter.

Now he was kissing her temple "I know, like I said you'd probably beat her ass in a good training spar, but she needs to push some of her solar magic, and you'll see, wouldn't surprise me if she left scorch marks on Natsu, sun fire is serious shit." He smiled and she wrapped her arms around his waist, leaning into him, he pulled his heavy cloak around her and she hummed as warmth enveloped her along with his wonderful scent.

She loved how easy it was to mold herself against him. Wendy came up, Cristoff behind her, and she smiled watching the Lunar slayer envelope Wendy just like Bickslow just had her, Wendy happily leaning back into her husbands chest as they watched Natsu and Emzadi take their places.

"Well…lets hope this doesn't dissolve into something more than a spar." Cristoff sighed.

"I really don't feel like Natsu would initiate anything yet, he's been pretty uncertain, says his dragon isn't telling him that." Wendy responded, turning to look up at Cristoff. "You said yours was clear right? About me?"

Cristoff frowned "No, not at first, the attraction was there but I honestly wrote it off or tried to write it off as you just being hot as hell and me always reacting to women like you, I've always had a thing for blue hair." He smirked at her and Wendy rolled her eyes but blushed.

"Yeah, he's been jealous of mine his whole life." Bickslow grinned and they all snickered, Cristoff made a face "Yeah the tri-hawk from hell was really something I envied uh huh."

Bickslow gasped in mock shock "You wound me little bro, I always thought that look turned you on!"

"On to not ever wanting to look that way maybe." Cristoff returned.

"Here we go…" Wendy warned, watching Natsus arms burst into flames.

He didn't really have a plan when he started, but when he started building his magic, just getting ready, he sure wasn't expecting the primal roar from the beautiful woman across the field from him, nor did he expect the raging spear of blazing light and fire that hit him and sent him flying backwards a good fifty feet but he got a hand down, got his feet down and dug into the frozen ground and shot forward with a gratified snarl.

Emzadi wasn't just strong, he learned that quickly. She was fast, precise, and hit like train. In minutes he was panting, this was how he did things though, he always got a feel for his opponent, let them land a few hits, he could normally take them with ease and fighting against another fire user? Usually downright pleasant.

But Emzadis solar fire actually stung a little, was almost too hot for him…almost, but after a few hits he learned how to far out of the center of her attacks he needed to be to get it like settling into a hot bath, where the water was almost too hot, made you hiss sinking into it, but then it felt good.

His clothes were enchanted, his pants and one sleeved jacket and then of course the scarf from Igneel, nobody knew it but he spent a fair bit of jewel ordering clothes made that could withstand his fire otherwise he'd walk away from most fights in nothing but the scarf.

Even so, he noticed with a pleased smile that edges were scorched, a few buttons were melted.

His dragon was in its glory as they fought, and he couldn't stop himself 30 minutes into the fight from drawing in flames from her next attack, he wanted to taste her fire and knowing her brothers and where they stood with him around their sister, he wasn't sure he'd get another chance like this.

They were heaven, licking down his throat, filling his senses, his belly, his lungs with that hot spicy smoked cinnamon and exotic edge he had scented a version of on Cristoff and Bickslow and even Kaleb.

Energy surged through him, her fire was rich with power and he was able to tap all of it down to the smallest ember. He flew at her, trying to get a hold on her, suddenly needing to pin her down, he felt he would only win this if he could.

She was so fast though, agile, and sidestepped him, catching him in the stomach with a kick and while he bent over in pain from the blow he grabbed her, one arm catching her leg, the other hooking around her waist and dragging her to the ground. She twisted and almost got loose but he twisted too and came down on top of her, catching her arm as it started to drive a right cross at him he pinned it to the ground and growled at her when she bucked against him, tried to get her other arm around him to get a hold somehow and pull him off of her but he had his shoulder down and she couldn't get the leverage she needed.

After a few moments of her trying different ways to fling him off of her that were all futile she laid back wide eyed staring up at him and the fire blazing around her decreased in its blinding white intensity.

"You…win." She breathed. He smirked down at her "You singed my clothes…pretty impressive."

She looked down at the melted buttons and singed edges and laughed "I will buy you new ones, I've a wonderful tailor in White Sea who makes clothes even my fire can not burn."

Her laugh made his chest tighten, and he was suddenly very aware that he was laying between her legs, his shoulder under her left arm, her left breast pressing into his chest while his left hand held down her right arm.

"I will want a rematch you know, I've very few sparring partners at home who I can really let loose with." She said, smiling up at him brightly.

"Me neither, usually just the metal head or the ice princess…uh…Iron Dragon Slayer and an Ice Make mage." He clarified that when his nicknames for Gajeel and Gray made her look at him funny.

"I really look forward to meeting the other Dragon Slayer, I like Laxus, Cobra and Wendy quite a lot." She told him, seeming unconcerned they were laying, still engulfed in almost blinding flames on the ground and that he was on top of her.

He was aware of it though, his dragon was humming inside of him about it and his body was reacting too, he felt it, felt his heart rate pick back up as well. Her smile stilled, orange eyes changing slightly and her smile slid into a smirk.

She felt him hardening, his member was against the inside of her left thigh, and when it stirred her dragon about lost its mind. It all dawned on her then, he'd just beaten her, pinned her to the ground. She hadn't been going all out, had only been stretching some, testing her magic to make sure all traces of the corruption in her blood were gone.

She'd been pretty focused on that. While Natsu had interested her, her brothers had stepped in quickly, protective as ever and reminded her how important her controlling herself was. Kaleb had been on her endlessly over her little tryst with the White Dragon Slayer from Sabertooth.

She could only appreciate their concern. Two good wonderful men were dead because she hadn't been careful, hadn't respected her dragon and its ability to wield her magic better than she could.

Still, this pink haired Slayer had withstood some of her hotter attacks with only some melted buttons and singe marks on his clothes, maybe he could…entertain her at least. His body felt good against hers, firmly muscled, and he smelled good, like smoked pepper and cayenne. His fire, she'd taken some of it while they fought, and it had been smooth like good bourbon going down.

"You seem to be warming up again…" She said in a soft almost purr and Natsu swallowed hard, narrowing his eyes "You do something to me…stir something…" He admitted.

She grinned, and rolled her hips against him, it made him shudder and hiss in a breath and she laughed "I'm stirring something to life allright, we'd best get up or we'll need to brighten our fire enough to hide how I'll need to help you with this.." She rubbed herself against him again and he growled at her, but he moved off of her, sitting back on his knees, grateful his pants hid his excitement well though he had to take a couple of deep breaths as she was getting to her feet before he adjusted himself and stood with her.

She seemed entirely unaffected while Natsu stood trying to calm his rapidly beating heart and raging blood. She ran at Cristoff and hugged him "See? All fine, I'm fit and well thanks to Natsus delectable fire." She turned fiery orange eyes on him brimming with mischief "It is tasty you know, your fire…so spicy." She grinned at him before turning back to her brothers.

"Am I clear to hunt again then? Watching you go out while I've stayed around here has been painful!" She declared.

"Actually this area is ready for Lamia Scale to handle it themselves, were going back to Magnolia." Laxus said, coming up behind the others.

Jura was with him, smiling "We are grateful of White Seas help, truly, and if I thought I could lure you to join my guild Emzadi I promise I would try."

She grinned "Leave Bosco? I do love you Jura, and teasing Lyon has been too much fun, but the Grass Sea isn't something a Boscan can ever be away from for long." She laughed.

They returned to the village, Emzadi going with Erza and Wendy to pack her things while the men did the same. Natsu was quiet, and the others didn't miss that. Laxus in particular hung back and waited for him.

"You ok? You beat her flame brain, you should be happy with that, she's S-class and you're always wanting to get the best of S-class mages." He pointed out.

"She wasn't trying hard, she was just checking her magic to make sure what that Blood Mage did was all out of her system. It wasn't about beating her." Natsu replied quietly.

Laxus lifted a brow, walking with the Fire Slayer from the Guild.

"You've never worried about particulars before Natsu, what's got into you?" He asked. Natsu shook his head "I don't know, I…" He growled, frustration starting to eat at him. He stopped, looking up at Laxus "I like her…I want to get to know her but Bix and Cristoff won't let me anywhere near her." He sighed, turning and resuming walking, Laxus wouldn't give a shit about it, nobody took him seriously and normally that was just fine with him, he'd go fishing, fight, eat and live a happy life and didn't give a shit if his guildmates thought he was childish or lacked intelligence.

He'd never worried about what others thought of him before and he didn't want to now except it was in his way, preventing him from being able to learn about Emzadi, talk to her. Here was a Dragon Slayer who used magic similar to his own, and while he knew she was a second generation slayer with a lacrima like the ones in Laxus and Cobra, that didn't matter to him.

She acted as predatory, as purely draconic as any of them, more so in a lot of ways judging by how she fought, and damn it, he really loved how she smelled and felt and tasted.

Gods, what if he could kiss her again, what if they could even get time alone and he could feel what it was like to have sex with woman he didn't have to handle like glass? She was Boscan after all and he knew from being around the other Boscans, even sleeping with a couple of them that meant she was pretty relaxed about that sort of thing.

Gaza had outright approached him, told him plain she wanted to fuck him, and when he'd agreed out of pure curiosity she'd walked with him to her hotel room and done just that. He'd enjoyed it too.

He sure as hell wouldn't mind something similar happening with Emzadi.

But it wasn't likely with her brothers acting like they were, even bringing Erza in to help keep him away from her.

"Yeah, I know why they're doing it, but I'll talk to em. Emzadi is a big girl, they need to back off a little." Laxus sighed. His Lacrima went off in his pocket right then and he pulled it out, meeting the worried eyes of his grandfather and frowned.

"Yeah, what's up Gramps?" He asked.

"Laxus, is Cobra with you?" Makarov asked, Laxus frowned, looking up ahead a ways he could see the poison slayer walking with Bickslow and Erza.

"Yeah, just ahead of us, we're about to get on the train to come home." He replied.

"Have Cristoff bring him to Magnolia immediately, Lucy has gone missing." Makarov said and both Laxus and Natsu gaped, hearts skipping. Almost as soon as the thoughts registered, Laxus saw Cobra whip around and look at them, then turn to Cristoff who a moment later looked back and Laxus could only nod, the next moment the Lunar and Poison slayers vanished.

Over the com just seconds later he heard Cobras desperate infuriated roar "Where is she?! What the fuck happened?!"

Xoxoxooxoooxxxxxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Lucy had been contentedly out back, the snowy weather had made it so she had to put a heating lacrima into her fish pond, she had two koi now in it and really enjoyed the sound of the waterfall that circulated the water and watching the beautiful fish swirl around in their pond. It was almost big enough she could swim in it herself, she told Cobra they should tear up some more of the yard and put in a hot tub, Aquarius had suggested it, the heated waters of the hot tub could circulate around the pond and the two things could work together.

Cobra had promised to think about it. He wasn't thrilled to be leaving for a week without her, but it wasn't the first time and certainly wouldn't be the last. They needed to pay off the costs of repairing their home, and get money back into savings again so they needed to work and his team pulled higher paying jobs so he couldn't avoid them when the Raijinshuu went out, he needed to go with them.

She thought it was funny the Raijinshuu would be handling Natsu and Erza both it seemed, he'd get a taste of what she lived with.

The whole thing with Lisanna bothered her, like it did everyone in the guild, but Lucy would be going with Team Natsu more now that things were getting back to normal. There was a lot of work, the request board had been expanded because the one they'd had couldn't fit everything. The invasion would likely have wizards working hard to set Fiore right again for some time.

She'd cleaned the whole house, done the laundry. Cobra would be home late tonight. She smiled, she hadn't seen him in a week, the trip to Akane Beach was coming up and so was Christmas. She'd already worked out what she was giving Cobra, had Emma working on a box of poisonous candies and lollipops, because she still loved watching her mate suck on lollipops, she really enjoyed watching him enjoy them more than she enjoyed them herself.

Then she'd ordered him a new white coat from Elluris, his old one had started showing wear even as protective as he was of it. When he got home, she planned to first, strip him naked and fuck him till she couldn't walk right, then make him help her put up their Christmas tree.

She was humming to herself, changing out the heating lacrima after feeding the fish when she thought she heard something, was about to turn but a sharp pain went through her then blackness swallowed her.

xoxooxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

A/N don't hurt me...I'm already well into chapter 37, I never leave cliffhangers hanging long LOL...DESNA


	37. Chapter 37 Captured

A/N longer chapter and still couldn't get it all in, so...uh...might be another update soon since I'm already well into 38 LOL. To those reviewing, THANK YOU, I know I've said it before I'll say it again, it helps to have the feedback, the impressions you guys are getting so I know if I'm relating the story well and clear enough but without further ado, I hope you enjoy this chapter, Kairi, don't worry, I would never give a Pradesh boy to anyone who didn't deserve him, Bickslow is my darling dearest character and his family is just too fun...DESNA

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Lucy woke in confusion, blinking and trying to deal with a headache that almost made her eyes water as she sat up, looking down she frowned, the plain beige sheets and brown blankets were not hers, she'd just changed the sheets and comforter of their bed because Cobra was coming home and he liked the black set and honestly, seeing him stretched out on the black sheets in all his caramel skinned, toned and gorgeous glory was a favorite of hers too.

Looking around her eyes widened and hand flew to her hip. No keys, no whip…she was in a strange room, sparsely furnished with no windows and walls made of what looked like heavy stone.

Fear flooded her realizing she had definitely had her keys on her hip, Cobra got after her about even moving around the house without them on her, insisted she get out of that habit and start always carrying them every minute of every day even when she was at home with him.

He'd gotten her a bracelet that when she opened her hand a certain way, would call her keys to her and she was still wearing that so immediately flipped her hand open, felt the magic pull and saw something against the wall move.

Her keys were enclosed in some sort of case on the wall! Jumping from the bed she hurried to it and frowning in frustration, it wasn't a case, it was a hunk of some sort of clear hard almost crystal like thing and her keys were there, she could see them, encased inside of it.

The Crystal was vibrating slightly, the magic of the bracelet calling for the keys.

Frowning she checked to see if it was firmly attached to the wall, it was, but maybe she could get it loose.

"Mate of the Poison Dragon Slayer Cobra. You're awake, lovely." Lucy snapped her head around, narrowing her eyes as she saw the opposite wall was partially just composed of bars beside a heavy metal door.

On the other side stood a tall regal looking man with thick black hair and striking green eyes, handsome, very handsome, but his aura was bad, dark, malicious and Lucy faced him, glaring at him.

"Well, I must have missed the formal introductions because you've got me at a loss." She said coldly.

He smiled "I am Nuryev Allsaidian, crown prince of Seven. I would tell you it's a pleasure to meet you, but I'd be lying. No…I'm not at all happy about this, I'm not happy at all I've been reduced to this action, revenge really is pedy and I know it, but…my mother has new plans, and I've come up with a way for Seven to claim an untapped strength Fiore has not ever put a leash on." He said.

He cocked his head "Did you know when you mate with a Dragon Slayer part of their soul mingles with yours?" He didn't wait for her to answer, turning and starting to pace slowly by the bars. "It's true, it gives your soul protection similar to what your mate has because of his dual souls. I didn't know that when I brought you here, I'd fully intended to just rip your soul out of you and start building a new Lacrima, but it seems it's true and what I didn't know cost me a perfectly good Seith mage." He sighed, leaning against the wall opposite the bars and looking at her.

"So, I can't harvest you, or any of the mates to the dragon slayers like I had originally planned, but, I can still achieve what my mother wishes." He smiled and Lucy maintained her hard glare.

Nuryev studied the woman, he'd been studying her for many hours now, keeping her under, but was getting nowhere, so he'd left her finally to get more research started, go over what his people had gathered for him so far.

His mother had plans. While she wanted him to sire children for the sake of preserving her dynasty, she also wanted what Fiore had, the Dragon Slayers were an untapped resource as far as she was concerned.

Research made it clear Dragon Slayers sired more Dragon Slayers, and his mother had seen even the carefully bred and conditioned berserkers of Pergrande put down by Dragon Slayers.

So, she wanted them.

She wanted him to find a way to start a breeding program like Pergrande had for their Berserkers, had given him freedom not to be in her bed or his aunts if he could sort out how to make it happen.

At first he'd thought to make another Lacrima like the one he'd controlled the dragons with. Use the souls of the dragon slayers mates to build it.

So he'd had a hunter collect the first mate they could get their hands on, which turned out to be this Celestial Mage, who was mated to the Poison Dragon Slayer Erik, according to the mark on her neck he'd had translated. Erik it turned out was the infamous "Cobra" formerly of the Oracion Seis.

He had footage of Cobra fighting both Motherglare in Hargeon, and Levia in Magnolia, watching it his mother had smiled in that deadly icy way of hers "Yes, I want him, and the black haired Boscan…Oh! The blonde…yes the blonde….all of them, collect them all my son, if you find a way to make it happen I shall take my pleasures from them instead of you in between having them sire children for a breeding program. Yes, figure it out, you need not report to my bed until you have answers so long as they come quickly." She'd said.

So he'd tried to take the celestial mages soul, he'd rip that out, put it into a control lacrima and then drain her magic from her body into a very valuable magic lacrima, Celestial mages were rare, it would be a valuable thing to have, add that with the keys she possessed, the contracts on the spirits would release when she died, so he'd have those keys to offer with the lacrima containing her magic.

It had been a wonderful idea. But when the Seith had gone to pull out her soul he'd found it wasn't alone within her, the dragon she was mated to protected her, its soul attacking the Seith and Nuryev had almost been unable to sever his contact with the Seith before the dragon soul had killed him.

He'd been furious, had contemplated killing the woman, raping her, something, but if he killed her the Slayer mated to her died and the Queen wanted him so she'd be furious. If he raped her it could send her Slayer into a frenzy before he'd gotten the man in hand. No, he'd wait.

He was experienced at being patient, biding his time, he could do so now, needed to.

By keeping her well, healthy, safe, her slayer would only suffer the separation from her, longing to find her, none of his nastier compulsions would be triggered.

So he would scare her some, might torture her a little to speed her slayer along in his search for her, then, when the man was too distracted by his frenzied need to reunite with his mate, he'd be easier to catch.

Tranquilizers and such wouldn't work on the Poison Slayer, he'd be an interesting challenge.

The Boscan the Queen wanted would also be interesting, his mate was herself a Dragon Slayer, the two were healers. Nuryev wanted to see if he impregnated a Dragon Slayer bitch if maybe he himself could father Dragonblood children, if so, the Boscans mate and the golden haired bitch who had killed Dain were suddenly incredibly important to him, because then, Allsaidian blood could join with Dragons blood and create a line of Draconic royalty for Seven.

He narrowed his eyes on the Celestial mage who looked unafraid, glaring back at him, oh how he wanted to break that arrogance down, reduce her to terrified whimpers while he fucked her bloody…he had to keep her alive, for the slayer she was mated to, but alive didn't need to mean unbroken once he had the Poison Slayer contained.

"You won't be able to control any of them, definitely not my mate." She said with certainty. This man, Prince Nuryev, she knew the name, he was the one who had been behind killing Sherria, the one who had animated Motherglare and controlled the dragons from the Eclipse gate.

He smiled at her again "Your arrogance is only a display of your ignorance, Lucky Lady Lucy. Such a ridiculous laughable nickname, when were you ever lucky?" He laughed and turned and left her.

When he walked away she turned back to her keys encased in crystal, running her hand over it, tears in her eyes. "Loke…Virgo…I don't know if you can hear me but please…please help…"

Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Cobra caught the strange scent the instant he was in his house, followed the paths his mate had taken that morning as she'd cleaned their home, changed the bed to his favorite sheets, a detail that made his heart clench in his chest.

Outside…tracks that were not hers, a bit of her blood in the snow, laced with a powerful tranquilizer that would have knocked a Vulcan on its ass. The fish food canister sat by the pond, along with the heating Lacrima she'd been changing out.

Brokenly he lifted the canister and tossed a little food into the pond, watching Lucys koi gobble it down before he took the canister back inside and put it away. He looked up as Gajeel came into the house, followed by Natsu and Emzadi.

Gajeel met his pained eyes with understanding. "So there's a good scent, find anything else?" The Iron slayer asked and Cobra shook his head, leading the other slayers out into his back yard to silently watch them all gather the same details he had, refine their grasp of the scent of the person who had taken Lucy.

He had gotten past fury while walking through his house, finding the fuckers scent here and there, wondering if he'd searched the house before or after he'd hit Lucy with the dart that had taken her down.

Now he was letting it boil in him, letting his dragon seethe, embracing the darkest parts of himself that would grant him the insatiable heartless cruelty that would let him hunt this person down and retrieve his mate before he watched this person die, screaming.

The poisons pumping through him were his absolute worst, some he wasn't sure even he could cure once they were in someone. Painful ones, nightmarishly laced with the darkest most horrible skills he had possessed while a dark mage.

As he waited for the others to finish, watched Laxus enter, having been busy checking in with the master and no doubt his mate, he nodded toward the back yard and Laxus silently went there.

By the reading nook, under the rounded windows she loved so much was the box for the fucking Christmas tree she had insisted they buy. There was eggplant in the fridge, fresh parmesan and tomatoes, she'd been planning his favorite dinner, sex on his favorite sheets, then was likely going to spring putting up the fucking tree on him.

Right then, he'd put up a hundred of them, he'd sleep on her damn pink sheets, fuck her on them even though he'd told her he damn near couldn't look at the gaudy things and keep an erection. He'd eat hamburgers with her though they made him gag, anything to just have her there, safe, with him.

He closed his eyes, he couldn't feel her. He hadn't noticed the difference when he'd been in Peace Village, so far from her, he knew she was alive, his heart and soul would already be dying inside him if she weren't, but the distance had muted the connection to her so he couldn't feel it when whatever had happened had happened to her. He only felt the absence of her now, as if she were far away, asleep. Maybe she was, likely she was, she'd only been taken a few hours ago. Cristoff had gone back, retrieved the other slayers, the decision made quickly the more hunters on the trail, the better.

The master was trying to reach Sting with Sabertooth, hoping to get through to Yukino and ask her to relay a message through her spirits to Lucys, see if they knew anything.

Once the others were done Cobra turned and led the way out of the house, taking up a punishing pace immediately as he followed the scent. The sun was still up, and while it was below freezing, the scent lingered in the still winter air and the chill had the streets fairly empty.

He tensed when a shadow flew past him and glanced back, saw Gajeel narrowing his eyes after it. It didn't have a scent, and it wasn't his magic.

Cobra picked up the pace and they left Magnolia, heading out into the forest to the east.

The scent was even better here and that bothered him, he slowed. Gajeel coming alongside him.

"Not right, I smell hunter, like medallion carrying mercenary type, I've known a lot of them. They don't leave scent trails this strong, they aren't this careless." He said unhappily and Gajeel nodded "Spread out them, we don't all follow the track, you follow it, we'll flank you just in case."

Cobra nodded and Gajeel fell back, the others quickly spread out and it turned out to be a damn good thing they had because Cobra stopped up short about a ¼ mile later, reaching to the side and ripping a branch loose he tossed it ahead of him and a trap sprung, bigger than he expected, the edge of it winging him and sending him spinning into a tree as it snapped shut, magic flared around it and within an instant, it vanished.

Staring at where it had been he looked around at the other slayers.

"That trap just teleported." A voice above them said.

Cobra snarled and in the next moment he was in the tree, swinging poisoned talons at an assembly of shadows that dissipated, reforming on the ground by Laxus.

A young man in all black stood hands up "Easy guys I'm on your side."

Laxus snarled, cuffing the young man and sending him sprawling. "Fucking Vander." He snapped. Emzadi grabbed the young man by the back of the neck and hauled him to his feet "Dumbass, you don't pop out at pissed off Dragons. You should be back at the guild." She snapped.

Cobra growled, moving past them "I do not have time for this." He spat. "There are more traps, the path the guy set is all about trapping at least one of you, probably the stolen womans mate is who they want most. Look, this is what I fucking do, I stalk things, hunt them, break into places, I'm a sneaky Shadowquip, let me help." He begged.

"Don't get killed, if you do Kaleb will make me endure whatever punishment you are currently avoiding by being here." Emzadi snapped, following Cobra.

Vander grinned and vanished into the shadows.

Two more traps, each doing the same thing as the first and Cobra stopped.

"This is taking too long, and how the fuck could they lay these traps so fast, it's only been a couple of hours since Levy found out she was missing. You couldn't lay three traps that big with teleports attached in that little time." He snarled.

"The path may have been laid on their way in, if they have teleportation magic as handy as we've seen they may have teleported out with her." Laxus said, Natsu was crouched low in the loamy soil looking over the path. "Tracks facing in both directions…I hate to say it, but Laxus is probably right." He said.

Cobra spun, slashing poisoned claws across a tree and the group watched in alarm as the tree instantly started dying, shrinking, fell over and an acrid smell started wafting up from it.

"Shit…um, well, I could ride one of the traps through…" Vander offered, appearing beside his sister. Emzadi frowned at him. "Hand you to them on a platter? I don't think so." She snapped.

"No, trigger a trap and cling to the outside while it teleports, I can stealth sister dear, they wont see me and since I'm on the outside of the trap the possible effects wont hit me or contain me, I can find out where it goes, I have a com lacrima…I can call once I find her…seriously, they're expecting a pissed off half crazed dragon slayer, not a Shadowquip. How many times have I done shit like this?" He sighed at his sisters steady frown.

"Do it. But if you don't call within an hour I'm taking the next one." Cobra snarled.

Emzadi narrowed her eyes then leaned over and kissed her brothers cheek. "Don't flirt with death, no matter how pretty she is." She said smiling.

Vander grinned "Don't you ride him either sister." He winked at her and took up a jog on the trail, vanishing again, a moment later, about 30 yards ahead, a trap sprung and teleported away.

Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Kwin frowned as another trap came into the chamber empty. Glaring he stood, walked into the chamber and hauled it aside in case another came through. He shoved this one over by the others, first tug it had seemed heavier but moved better with the second. The assembled gunmen all relaxed and returned to their positions. Once the trap was out of the way Kwin returned to the other side of the protective glass to wait for more.

"Shit, that's 4, 4 more. If the bastard doesn't fall into one we'll have to try and hunt him and fuck I don't want to go back out there and dance around a pissed off Dragon Slayer out of his mind over his whore." Kwin muttered, glaring over at Davis who was leaning back in his chair behind the glass drinking and looking too relaxed.

"Take it easy shithead, if the dick doesn't fall into one of these we've got other tricks the Prince gave us, he said if this doesn't work we just wait and let him start coming unhinged a while, once he starts acting stupid we should be able to get a collar on him. Mean time Luriss should be picking up one of the other little dragon whores as we speak, so then they'll really start getting frantic." The two men snickered and Kwin leaned back in his chair, he didn't think he had, but he must have leaned back too far because his chair fell over and he was soon cussing on the floor rubbing a bump on his head while Davis laughed his ass off.

Neither man noticed the door behind them opening and closing silently.

The compound wasn't overly complex, once a council outpost it seemed.

Vander moved swiftly and silently through the complex, drifting between stealth and just remaining in the shadows closed doors weren't a problem for him, shadows passed everywhere in the dimly lit facility.

Once outside he started getting his bearings, climbing up to the highest point on the outpost to look around carefully, study the stars, find mountain ranges.

He was still in Fiore but only just. This old outpost sat a few miles off the road that led to the border with Seven from Autumn City. Frowning he moved swiftly back inside and started checking rooms, trying to be swift, he had less than an hour before Cobra came raging in on a trap and possibly landed himself captured.

There were about 12 gunmen in that room and while some looked to be sporting dart guns, others had other devices, the men were ready for an enraged Dragon Slayer.

It sounded like they were after another one of the mates too, they hadn't said which, but he needed to find Lucy and get the information back to the Slayers.

Blonde hair, busty and very pretty was all he had gotten from Kaleb when he'd asked about the missing woman.

There was nothing though, just a lot of old dusty rooms. Hurrying he checked for a basement, a lot of these places had some holding cells, so that was a possibility too.

He found them, there were 7 of them, re-enforced ridiculously, with strange looking chairs that had massive restraints on them. But while they were clean, recently cleaned and worked on by the looks of them, they were empty.

Lucy wasn't there.

They had to have moved her somewhere else. Racing with time he rushed from the facility and out into the woods, carefully stretching his shadows out seeking traps, sensors, security, anything.

Finding nothing he climbed well up into a tall tree and reformed into his usual form. Pulling out his com lacrima he dialed Laxus, the only one of the slayers out there he'd known other than his sister.

"Vander, what did you find?" Laxus asked "Is she there? Did you find her?!" Cobra demanded.

"No, she isn't where the cages teleport in, it's an old council outpost near the border with Seven, they have cells set up that look like they're meant for you slayers. Hey, you guys need to make sure the other mates are OK, when I was in there the men were talking about some guy named Luris about to capture one. They want to drive you guys into a frenzy so you fuck up and make mistakes." He told them.

Laxus froze "Emma…" He breathed and the com went dead in Vanders hand. Sighing the young mage bit his lip and dialed another number. Kaleb was glaring at him.

"Where the fuck are you?" His brother demanded. Vander smiled "Uh…helping find the missing woman…Lucy yeah…helping to find Lucy. Hey before you yell at me more, dudes here have one hell of a portal network going on in Fiore and were talking about abducting more of the mates, they're trying to catch the Dragon Slayers big brother, capture them for something and seem to be using the mates to get at them." He said, Kalebs eyes widened and the man cursed in Boscan.

"Cana…" He said looking off to the right.

"Already calling Levy…" he heard Canas voice,

Kaleb looked back at him. "Allright, where are you?" He demanded.

"By the stars and judging by the mountain ranges around me, just off the road that travels between Autumn City and the border with Seven in Fiore, rode a teleport equipped trap out here to an old council outpost. About two dozen men here, mercenaries, well equipped, they talked about a prince giving them things to use on the Dragon Slayers." Vander replied.

Kaleb nodded. "Ok, you remember Wisos? Him and his team are in Autumn City, I'll let him know you're out there, but stay put, find out all you can, if they get a mate they might move her through there." Vander nodded.

"Kaleb?" He called, Kaleb looked at him and he smiled "Tell the Dark Bitch I wont be there for her lesson tomarrow would you?"

"Don't push me Vander, just because you've managed to position yourself to help with a crisis doesn't change anything, you're going to resume your duties as soon as this is over and Lucy is home. Only thing that might get you out of it is if I let Kurino have you instead of me week after next, 5 days as her entertainment." Kaleb said.

Vander made a face "I'd rather train the bitch." He admitted.

"Kaleb, Levy isn't answering…" Cana said and Kaleb cursed, "Fuck, position yourself to watch Vander, they might be bringing in another mate." The com went out and Vander drew in his magic again, melting into shadows and flying back into the complex swiftly. He knew his way around it now so found the chamber he'd come into quickly, slipping through a crack in the doors weather stripping and finding a shadowy spot off in a high corner overlooking everything.

He could hold his shadow form for hours and it looked like he might need to do just that.

After an hour he slid out, returning to his tree, there had been no activity, even the men waiting in the room were pissed off and bored so Vander figured he needed to find out what was going on back in Magnolia.

Laxus picked up on the second tone "Vander, hey, ok, all of the mates are safe here. Thanks for the heads up." He said. Vander nodded "What about someone named Levy?" He asked, Laxus smirked "Ruby swallowed her com lacrima. Levy is fine. We're all going to stay at Cristoffs, his place is pretty heavily runed and warded because of Ruby staying there. Try to get comfortable if you can, I found the outpost on a map, you're about 5 miles from Autumn City, should see the lights from where you are." He prompted and Vander looked around, the sky was fully dark now, and he could in fact see light illuminating the sky off to the west.

"Yeah I see em." He said.

"Ok, well, how fast can you cover that distance?" Laxus asked.

"20 minutes, 15 if I push it." Vander replied.

"Ok, stay in Autumn City then and wait. Your brother is pulling intel and routing some of your guilds spies and we're waiting to hear back from some of Master Makarovs contacts." Laxus told him. Vander nodded "You got it boss." He smirked, he'd heard Bickslow call Laxus that a lot over the years and the Lightning Slayer snorted "Damn shit, be careful, and thanks for doing this."

The Com went dark and Vander was soon shooting swiftly along the shadows, it was easiest at night and he could move far faster than he could ever run. When he got to Autumn City he slid into an ally and formed up, donning black pants a black jacket and shirt and stepped out into the busy streets. He'd find himself an Inn, a hot meal and soft bed and maybe something pretty to keep him company and wait to hear from Magnolia what his next move would be.

Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Wendy was deep in concentration, she trained every day, sometimes twice a day with Cristoff in her magic, she'd joined his morning workout routine too and knew she was benefitting from all of it.

Her husband was a patient teacher, an affectionate one too, it made it all easier. Her attacks were swift, precise now, her heals getting better every passing week.

For all her study, all her training though, what she quietly enjoyed working on getting very good at, secretly to surpass his wildest expectations in, was what she was doing now.

Running her tongue up the length of Cristoffs erection she lay between his spread legs on their bed, reveling in the throaty growls and heaving breaths she was drawing out of him.

He'd been right, the best way for her to learn this had been practice, with his guidance, since it was him she wanted to drive into a shattering of his control, she wanted him coming undone, he had stamina, skill, experience, but she was determined and she was relentless.

"Wendy…" he breathed and she hummed, making him shudder as her head bobbed and she got a rhythm going, sucking up as she pulled back, squeezing and pulling with her lips then hovering at the head and working her tongue over the velvety warm flesh hollowing her cheeks again as she plunged down his length. Flatten her tongue over him, then suck her way back to the tip.

She knew she'd found the right spot to focus her tongue on when his hips flexed involuntarily and he threw his head back.

"We…Wendy…I'm…" He warned her, she felt his thighs tense, the muscle under her arms taught and then she was smiling feeling him shudder and release into her mouth.

The texture wasn't her favorite, but the taste of his essence certainly didn't bother her at all and she swallowed it down, licking him clean before smiling up at him wickedly.

"Gods woman…" He panted.

"That's what you get for falling asleep before I got my nightly fun." She chided, not resisting when he reached down and pulled her up onto his body to lay on top of him.

"You were in the tub for over an hour." He pointed out.

"I was tired and I've missed our bathroom, my little spa." She returned.

He shook his head at her "I love you, and I love what you do to me." He said softly. She kissed him, reaching up so she could bury her fingers in his thick black hair and hold him so she could really enjoy it, slant her lips across his, moaning softly when he opened for her and his tongue met hers.

She never got tired of this, of any of it. She couldn't ever sate her desire for him because it had no limit, grew just like her love for him, every day. His arm circled her and he rolled them over, and she wrapped her legs around him, heels immediately pressing into his firm ass.

"Mmm, I might let Cana grab this….I swear it's got to be better than Laxus' and I want it acknowledged" she grinned up at him and he smiled back at her. He'd indulge anything she wanted tonight, she'd spent hours crying, her eyes were still puffy from it.

Terrified for Lucy, worried about Cobra, who at first had refused to come to their house. Laxus and Emma were in their room, Gajeel and Levy in the one beside it, Natsu and Ruby across from them leaving an empty bedroom. He'd finally agreed, and a short time ago, Cristoff had gone in and put the man to sleep. Not a heavy one, any commotion could wake him, but there was no way he would sleep without Cristoffs magic and the man needed rest.

One day Lucy had been missing, and Cobra was so miserable it was heartbreaking to be near him but they had gathered around him anyway, insisted he needed to be safe so they could resume searching in the morning, not that they had any idea where exactly to look yet.

Having Vander stationed by where those traps had been set to teleport to was a minor achievement, a touch of progress and reassuring, but they only knew now Lucy wasn't where the traps were set to bring the Dragon Slayers.

That left all of Earthland to search.

Getting Wendy to stop crying hadn't been easy, she loved Lucy, and was terrified her kin was suffering somewhere alone. Cristoff had managed to calm her with a shower followed by a hot bath and she'd emerged ready to lose herself in him and he meant to help her achieve that goal.

So when he slid into her and started snapping his hips roughly into her body it was to consume her, and it worked, her eyes rolled back and she moaned digging her nails into his back.

He held her against him as he took her, he'd never say it, wouldn't let it show, but this scared the hell out of him too. Wendy was his world, he'd be no better than Cobra if this happened to her, he held her tighter, nuzzling greedily into her neck, running his tongue over the mating mark and feeling her body tense and strain into his, felt her moan as much as heard her. Then, she tensed again, her walls clamping down on him as her orgasm raked through her body and tore his control away, consuming him in the same pleasure through the depths of their bond.

A while later, he'd exhausted her, had nearly exhausted himself, and she slid into one of her soft nightgowns while he pulled on some boxer briefs and sleep pants before they curled up in each others arms and finally fell asleep.

Both were so distracted, neither noticed the tiny tube push through the weather stripping between the glass doors that led out onto the patio, the odorless gas that started filling the room also escaped their notice and both fell beyond regular slumber into blackness.

Natsu was snoring peacefully, he liked the room he and Ruby shared in Wendy and Cristoffs house. Ruby loved the park across the street and large queen sized bed was even nicer than the bed Lucy had had in her old apartment, that he guessed now belonged to Cana.

Ruby woke him though, highly unhappy about something, flapping her wings and hissing and growling and he finally came to and realized the whelp wanted out of the room.

She pretty much house trained herself, there was a sand box in the back yard for her Natsu kept clean and she had figured that out quickly. He figured she needed to go out but when he opened the door she screeched, and his bones shook with it, it was an alarm, a warning, an alert, there was no doubt about that and he chased after her as she shot down the hallway screeching. "The fuck…" Gajeel stumbled into the hall, Cobra slamming his door open, the Poison slayers eye flew wide as he drew a deep breath.

"Fuck! Sleep gas!, open windows! He shouted and sucked some in, feeling his lacrima kick in, he heard Natsu collapse on the stairs then he heard Ruby snarling and screeching and a man shouted downstairs and he and Gajeel exchanged looks and bolted for the staircase. He blew out reversal gas, dissipating the sleep fumes as he ran, jumped over Natsus prone form and saw Ruby tangled around a man, her teeth clamped on the mans right arm, her long tail wrapped around the other one while all four of her clawed feet raked him leaving bleeding slashes across his chest and thighs, Hearing something he turned and shouted "NO!" Just as two men crouched over Wendy and Cristoffs unmoving forms held up a lacrima and vanished. Turning he lunged at the man Ruby was fighting and ripped off the mask on his face, blowing some of the sleep gas they'd used right in his face. The man tried not to breath in but finally had no choice and went limp instantly, falling to the floor and Natsu scrambled over, cooing and coaxing a pissed off Ruby from the mans limp body.

He looked up as Laxus and Gajeel came down "They got Wendy and Cristoff…"

Xoxoooxoxoxoxxoxoxxoxoxxoxxoxoxoxoxoxo

What possessed Vander to leave the hotel room at 2 in the morning had a lot to do with the waitress he'd taken there. The woman was beautiful, busty, and holy hell had she been a wildcat once they were in his room.

He'd had some lusty women but she'd been crazy, it was fun, the sex was good, he couldn't say he didn't enjoy it, but she wanted him to have breakfast with her in the morning, said she had to show him off to her friends.

Yeah, he wasn't someone that liked being "shown off" and she'd gone from being a great fuck to clingy wanted to be his girlfriend way too fast. It wasn't long after he'd gone down on her, then fucked her, that second orgasm seemed to cue her crazy.

So he'd fucked her again, much harder, had her screaming, and she'd passed out after she came, he was out the window about five minutes after that.

He'd much rather spend his night listening to the mercenaries bitch.

So he was perched in the room, not expecting much, when all hell broke lose.

Two men teleported into the room and Vanders heart froze in his chest when he saw his brother unconscious, his wife right next to him, also clearly drugged somehow.

He couldn't figure that out, Cristoff was resistant to drugs, his healing ability, and the purification given to him by the holy light saturation because he was a knight handled things like that.

Yet there was no doubt as the men hurriedly clamped magic control manacles on him, bound his hands behind him and did the same to Wendy, that his brother was knocked the hell out because Cristoff would have fucked up every man in that room easily on his own if he hadn't been.

He was sort of one of Vanders heroes, and looking at his wife, well, he assumed she was, she was wearing a ring that bore their family gems so yeah, his wife, he could see why his brother was in love, the woman was beautiful, no doubt about it, couldn't be much older than Vander either, but then Cristoff wasn't much older than Vander either.

"Put them in one of the cages for transport and call the prince, he's gonna be thrilled we caught the mated pair of slayers!" Davis said, then frowned "Where the fuck is Luris?"

The two men who had teleported in looked down "There was some sort of beast in the house, not a dog, I didn't get a good look at it, it attacked Luris, drug him out of the room we were in, we had no choice but to leave him Davis, the other slayers were coming, they were all staying in that house!"

Davis groaned "Fuck….we'll have to get someone to get him out of there if they don't kill him. Ok, get the fucking cage ready to teleport on to the Prince. He'll be so happy to get these two we might slide by with this fuck up." He snapped. Once Cristoff and Wendy were secured in one of the trap cages a new lacrima was affixed to a slot on it and Vander slid to it, melding from shadow to stealth gear, remaining silent and invisible on top of the cage as the man activated the lacrima and Vander felt the familiar rush of a teleportation.

As soon as the cage set into its new location Vander was looking around. They were in a small yard with a very grand building rising up around it. He watched, clinging carefully, as the cage was lifted onto a cart and brought inside. The walls were heavy stone and there were no windows, lighting was dim, which meant he'd be able to move about pretty freely.

The servants got the cart and cage into an open chamber with three hallways leading off of it and Vander blanched when he saw who was walking toward the cage.

Fucking Queen Kressa Allsaidian and her sick as fuck son Prince Nuryev.

His training had saved him, his blocks were all up, he was partially shifted into shadow to mask scent, sound, and thought, something he always did when in motion. Nuryev was a mind control mage, and Queen Kressa had succubus magic.

Kressa was beaming as the couple was removed from the cage, each one placed onto a rolling gurney. Vander shifted fully to shadow and slid from the cage to the ceiling carefully avoiding moving any shadows.

"Oh Gods above look at him…he's magnificent!" Kressa was laughing, already running her hands over Cristoffs bare torso.

She bent over him, kissing his mouth and Vander gaged a little since his brother couldn't. Running her fingers through his hair she looked at Nuryev. "I want him first, before we start breeding him I have to have him." She said firmly.

Nuryev bowed his head "It will take a little time Mother, I warned these things are delicate, complex, his dragon soul will not allow his body to perform for anyone but her." He said nodding toward Wendy.

"Kill her then." Kressa snapped.

"No!" Nuryev lunged forward when a guard started forward with his sword to see the Queens command obeyed.

"No, if we harm the mate we harm the slayer, besides mother, this is a female slayer, remember what I said about me possibly being able to sire Dragon slayer children? We need to find out if I can using her or the other female. And we have to keep her healthy for that and so that we can use her to control her mate so he can please you and breed for us." He explained.

The Queen frowned. "Fine, but I want him soon son, I'm willing to use toys….yes…" She smiled. "Bring him to my chamber, strip him down and make sure he's adequately sedated for at least…three hours. I can wait to feel this hard between my legs." She said, running her hand over Cristoffs groin and cupping him with a horrid smile. "I'll play with him a little tonight then I won't suffer as much waiting for you to make him ready for me to enjoy while he's awake." She laughed, waving at the servants who wheeled Cristoff out while Nuryev instructed the others to take Wendy to her "cell" and have her settled.

Vander hesitated, unsure whether to follow Cristoff or Wendy. Ultimately, he was willing to bet Cristoff would be brought to the cells and he was afraid the Queen was going to hurt him.

Wendy was just being settled into a cell, likely to sleep off the drugs, so he followed Cristoff as his brother was wheeled down the hall to an elevator that took them up three floors.

This level had windows, and he saw outside for the first time. A city stretched out beyond the opulent grounds…holy shit, he had to be in the Royal Palace in Hesta, capital of Seven.

Lovely, in the palace itself in the heart of Seven, Bosco had operatives here, hell he'd been here himself a few times in the last two years, but it wasn't going to be easy getting into the palace grounds and now three of their nakama were captives.

Cristoff was wheeled into a large chamber with a massive bed that looked like something out of a nightmare.

Chains and manacles emerged from several places, even dangled from above and there were various things around the room…they looked like torture devices and he saw whips looped and hanging from hooks here and there.

A physician approached Cristoff, bending over him, checking his eyes, breathing, before taking one syringe after another from a tray held by a servant. He injected three different vials of fluid into Cristoff before waving to the servants. "The queen wants his clothing removed and place him on the bed chained to the headboard as a precaution. Those drugs should last at least the three hours she wants." The man said emotionlessly.

He was moved to the bed, laid down on it, sleep pants and underwear pulled off of him and his arms chained to the headboard, which looked frighteningly capable of holding even his brother.

Vander watched the servant toss the syringes and then good place the vials they had been drawn from into a cabinet and he made a mental note to investigate that when the opportunity came.

He wasn't sure if these idiots knew, they must know, they couldn't have drugged Cristoff successfully if they didn't, but whatever they were pumping into the Lunar Slayer had to be pretty potent or it just wouldn't work on him.

The Queen entered, her sister with her and Vander grimaced, these sisters had taken Seven completely, changed the way the kingdom ran, and all because the late king had fallen in love with a maniacal bitch. Until Queen Kressas rule, relations with Seven hadn't been especially friendly but they had been stable, since she had come to power after her husbands death, first as steward because the Prince wasn't old enough to become King at the time, then the Prince had abdicated the throne to her when he was 17 and had become again heir to the throne instead.

"Oh….oh Kressa…he's divine!" Her sister hurried to the bed, climbing onto it eagerly and the Queen was grinning.

"I told you. Wait until we get the others, there's a sexy one with one eye, looks all kinds of nasty, and a big beefy blonde and…oh! One with hair longer than this one, with piercings probably all over him, each one just delicious in his own right but this one, we already have his mate, and once Nuryev figures out how to use that to control him? Oh the fun we're going to have…" The queen laughed and joined her sister hovering over Cristoff and Vander didn't want to watch.

He wouldn't leave his brother, and was scrambling through everything, he was certain the manacles that bound his brother were probably magic canceling, Nuryev was a mind control mage, the Queen would be sure her toys could handle her son since it was common knowledge she had no qualms at all about incest.

It was almost two hours later the women slid from the bed. "Gods, I can't wait to hear the noises he'll make, to see his eyes, watch him writhe. Too bad the potions didn't work on him, I would have enjoyed a little ride." The Queens sister sighed. The Queen shrugged "I was warned they likely wouldn't but I couldn't wait to have some fun with that body. Once Nuryev works out how to use his mate to get him hard, we'll have some very good fun with him and start breeding him to some of the maidens I've been collecting."

The women left and servants came in hastily.

"Lets get him down to his cell before the drugs start wearing off." One of them said. They unbound Cristoff, hefted the big man over onto another gurney and then Vader was following them back into the elevator, down to the first chamber they had come into and into another hallway.

As they went down the hallway they started passing large "cells" that looked like hotel rooms almost, from what he could see they were sparsly furnished but the beds were nice, not piles of straw on the floor, and each had a small bathroom.

He could tell they were magically sealed too, so he couldn't risk following Cristoff into his. They passed one and her heard a gasp "No..Cristoff, oh Gods…" the woman inside was near the bars and she had to be Lucy, blonde, big chested, beautiful, wide brown eyes looked in horror as Cristoff was pushed past her cell.

He was taken into a cell just past the blondes and Vander saw Wendy already in there, still out cold on the bed.

They lifted the man from the gurney and laid him beside Wendy then left, sealing the chamber shut behind them with a small white lacrima. Vanders eye locked onto that.

The man dropped it into his pants pocket and Vander grinned, oh…too fucking easy…

A few minutes later, he returned to the hallway and started methodically searching for cameras, found one in each chamber positioned over each door facing in to monitor the prisoner in the cell, the two in the hallway were easily angled in the dimly lit hall so he'd be able to avoid them without anyone noticing they'd been tampered with.

He let his shadows stretch through walls, and aside from the magic seals on the walls ceilings and floors of the cells, which honestly…weren't strong enough, Emzadi could have flicked a wrist and blown out one of the walls, seriously, these people were idiots if they thought these cells would hold pissed off Dragon Slayers.

Carefully he went and placed his own "toys" through the chamber, the hallways. Tiny devices that would vibrate the lacrima on his belt if someone approached.

Once those were in place he returned to the cell row and dropped down in front of Lucys cell.

"Lucy…right?"

Lucy had gone and sat on the bed but her head snapped up and she looked wide eyed as Vander materialized by her door.

"Hi…I'm Vander, Bix and Cristoffs little brother." He said in a soft voice. The cameras didn't handle sound, but he didn't want his voice to carry.

Lucys eyes lit up and he frowned "Don't react Lucy, there's a camera on you." He warned and watched her drop her head again, looking miserable once more.

"Ok, so you're in Hasta, the capital of Seven inside the Royal Palace, the Queen has decided to gather the Dragon Slayers and start some fucked up breeding program. You saw Cristoff, Wendy is in the cell with him next to yours. They aren't hurt, just drugged. I'm gonna find a spot I can't be easily overheard and get word to your guild and mine. I can move around in here undetected, I'll be close by, trying to figure out how to get you out of here, I already have a lacrima key for the cells. Just filling you in ok?" He told her.

She sighed. "Vander, my keys are sealed in the crystal on the wall, can you find out about that? I can't leave them here…" She said firmly.

Vander looked and saw what she was talking about, Celestial Mage so they sealed her keys…fuckers were smarter than he thought.

"I'll find a way to get them out or we'll break the fucking thing off the wall and take it with us." He promised and she sighed again, this time in relief.

"I'll check back with you as soon as I can." He told her and Lucy watched as the young man seemed to dissolve into billowing shadows and then was gone.

Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Cobra was pacing in front of the bar, impatient.

Kaleb frowned almost two days since Lucys disappearance, Cristoff and Wendy had been gone for a day, Vander had not responded when he'd tried calling him after Wendy and Cristoffs abduction and he was ready to kill his younger brother.

Knowing Vander, he'd gone to Autumn City, found at least one woman and fucked himself into exhaustion and was laying on some bed sleeping off a hang over while intermittently fucking some pretty thing until he got his strength back and had forgotten he was supposed to be listening for their call.

It might be too late now anyway, even if he did finally get through to his damn brother it might be too late to catch up with whoever was abducting the slayers and their mates.

He had people he could send to the outpost, he could overrun the place easily enough and get information out of the men there but even after Bickslow had done his work on the man they had caught in Wendy and Cristoffs house, all they knew was what they had already known.

The Prince of Seven was behind this. The men he'd hired had been painfully educated in how to handle the slayers, including orders not to harm them if it was avoidable and not to touch any of the women in any way that would anger their mates.

The handling orders would have been reassuring if not for who was giving them.

Cobra was about fit to be tied, the man alternated between being miserable and so angry even Bickslow wasn't testing him.

He sat unhappily near Kaleb and Mira pushed a glass toward him, it was the iced tea she made for him, using Lucys instructions, the appleseed and Oleander tea with lots of sugar she had ordered for him with his lunch before he'd left for Peace Village.

He grabbed the glass and managed a thin nod of thanks for Mira , taking a long drink, the poisons flowing into him, giving him the welcome rush and euphoric haziness, Lucy loved getting him high on cyanide anymore, said he was easy to take advantage of when he was under the influence.

She tried to get him to say he loved her every time too…he wished he'd said it now, wished he'd said it a hundred times a day because it still wouldn't have been enough.

Kaleb was idly twirling his lacrima in his hand, Cana sitting on the barstool beside where he stood, idly leaning on his shoulder and twirling a lock of his pale blonde hair in her fingers.

The Lacrima lit and Kaleb flipped it on, eyes widening as Vander smiled at him.

"Vander you worthless ass, where the fuck have you been?!" He snarled.

"Easy, easy big brother, keep it down I'm trying to keep a low profile here, I've been doing some teleport hitching with our brother and his wife." He replied. Everyone froze, Cobra put his drink down as Kaleb drew a breath.

"You're with them? Where?!" He demanded.

"Fucking Hasta, in the royal palace. Tell Cobra Lucy is here, she's fine, safe, doesn't have a scratch on her, just pissed they sealed her keys in a crystal." He said and Cobra let a breath out, relief flooding through him followed swiftly though by desperate fury.

"So I already made a couple of calls, I've been playing dodge guard and it's tough to get a signal out of here with the lacrima. Dad got the Princess to assign us some nice help, there should be a Boscan airship reaching you some time today, call Dad for the details on that shit. I've stolen a cell key, kinda feel bad about that, guy I took it off of got hella beat for losing it but shit, I figured we'd need it." He smirked, lifting up a small lacrima.

"So yeah, guards should be coming back this way in 2 minutes, I can get in and out of where Lucy Cristoff and Wendy are being held. Cristoff and Wendy just woke up a little while ago, Cristoff will need a bath in fucking bleach after what that skanky queen did to him while he was drugged out but he's not hurt, neither is Wendy." He said.

"Why are they doing this?" Kaleb asked.

"Breeding program, they keep talking about using the mates to get the slayers to breed for them, want like their own little army of Dragon Slayers." Vander replied.

Kaleb made a disgusted sound. "Ok, keep doing what you're doing…little fucker…good job, check in again as soon as you can and keep us posted, I'll call father." He snapped.

"You know "Master Kaleb" I'm just about as tall as you now, you should stop calling me little." Vander smirked.

Kaleb glared at him "Don't get cocky jackass, you still ducked out of facing richly deserved punishment I may still force you to complete."

Vander rolled his eyes "Yeah, maybe I'll drag the stuck-up bitch up here, she seems to have a taste for trying to murder people, she'd fit right in."

Mira winced and behind her, Lisanna who had been ordered to work gruesome hours at the bar and in the potion shop as well as endure 3 hours a day of hard physical training with her brother ducked her head and turned red.

Once off from talking to Vander Kaleb called his father and Arman Pradesh looked grimly at him. It wasn't common at all for the calm, charming man to look angry, but he did and Bickslow, standing near Kaleb drew a slow breath, just like Emzadi and Kaleb did when they saw his expression.

"You will recover your brothers and sister in law from Seven, say it." Arman snapped. Kaleb lowered his head "I will recover Cristoff, Vander, Wendy and Lucy Father, I swear it." He said softly.

Arman nodded, "Are Bickslow and Emzadi there? I want to see them." He demanded. Kaleb pushed off the bar and moved so his brother and sister could come to him and face their father.

"Both of you, you will not rest until you recover your siblings and friend, say it" He snapped. Bickslow and Emzadi both lowered their heads.

"We swear we will recover them father." They both said in unison.

"Good. Now, I've secured a Boscan gunship, the Aisipal will be there within the hour, her captain should contact you Kaleb, I expect you to bring to bear every ounce of your might my son, your guild, everything at your command, I want my children back. The King has authorized us to use whatever force we must but will not commit more than the Aisipal to this mission. I have already told Vander, the King would not object to the end of the Allsaidians. Leaving Seven in chaos could benefit both Bosco and Fiore. There are no formal orders, this is proceeding as a rescue mission, just be aware collateral damage is…encouraged." Arman told them firmly.

"Yes Father." The three Pradesh children answered in unison. Cobra blinked, he couldn't hear Bickslow or Kaleb but Emzadi rang like a bell, no hesitation, absolute conviction. She would walk through hell for her family, for anything her father asked of her without question or hesitation. The depth of loyalty, of love, was immense.

He felt that with only one person, Lucy. His mate was his entire world, everything that had ever mattered to him before her had fallen away to insignificance, his future, his everything was her. Seeing that depth in a family…it awed him.

Arman had instilled that into his children, and his devotion to them, to bring all he had of power and influence to bear like this for his children. Cobra made a vow, when he got Lucy back, when they had children, he would be a father like Arman.

"I love you children, I have a great deal to get done, I am trying to get out of Atla so I can get to you all, look out for your friends and each other." He said firmly and then the lacrima went dark again.

Everyone moved quickly, they had less than an hour before the Aisipal arrived to collect them.

Boscan airships were the fastest, best designed in Earthland, allowing Bosco to be a major player in foreign trade and have a lethal aerial military force. The ships were faster than trains, and unhindered by terrain demands. Designed to handle the sometimes-unpredictable weather over the Grass Sea of Bosco caused by its odd levels of humidity that were effected unpredictably by cycles of both the sun and moon as well as the abundant wild life that lived in and on the Grass Sea.

Design secrets were jealously guarded for the ships, and they were never sold, all of them belonged to the Crown of Bosco. Business' could lease them, but maintenance was only available through government engineers so the country kept its firm hold on one of its greatest assets.

When a ship went down or out of service, every part of it was broken down and either re-used or destroyed.

The jewels of the fleets were sleek, swift gunships. They couldn't carry much payload beyond their ammunition stores and had small crews, but they were fast, powerful, a single Boscan Gunship had kept the Sevenese from getting out of Gallowstown during the invasion. This gunship in fact. The Aisipal was the only airship Bosco had sent, holding their fleet within their own borders in preparation of the assault on Seven that would come after their mage and military forces had helped Fiore end the invasion.

Her Captain was a bold older woman who had served in the Boscan military for 25 years. Captain Kryta. When she'd gotten her new orders, spoken to the Boscos most decorated Ambassador and the King himself about this mission, she'd stocked her ship with ammunitions from the water ships off the shore of Gallowstown and gone full steam to Magnolia.

This was a chance for real glory, being the first Airship to pierce the heart of Seven was an honor she meant to prove herself well worthy of. She had been worried she would be left hunting down Sevenese left overs in Fiore while the glorious battle against Sevens homeland raged.

Fortunately, as they cleared the lake above Magnolia and saw Fairy Tail come into view, she knew her time had come, she would not be missing this great battle at all.

Her lieutenant teleported down to the ground to collect their passengers. She was to take them right to Hasta, assist them in the mission they had there that the King had said could result in the end of the conflicts. She and her crew were to aid them in every way, and when her eyes fell on the Guild Master of White Sea, she smiled, grateful to see this wasn't just a group of unknowns, here was a man she knew had military experience, who was a leader and her confidence soared.

"Master Kaleb, I am Kryta, Captain of the Aisipal, welcome aboard sir, my ship and crew and I are at your disposal, ordered to aid you in any way we can." She said, bowing.

"Thank you Captain, once everyone is aboard, we need to reach Hasta as quickly as possible." Kaleb told her, turning as the last of their team came aboard via the ships teleporter.

The Dragon Slayers, Laxus, Cobra, Gajeel, Natsu and Emzadi along with Freed, Bickslow and Erza. All stood before them. As the ship got underway Cobra followed everyone after the Captain to go to the ready room at the back of the ship. Looking toward the horizon, he narrowed his eye "I'm coming for you baby." He growled.


	38. Chapter 38 Allsaidian

A/N Another long chapter...I'm sorry for it, maybe should have split this in two but there was a lot to cover, I won't hold you up lets get to it...DESNA

xooxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxxxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

"No!" Wendy was screaming, the men restraining her, in spite of the potions in her, in spite of the manacles on her ankles that kept her from her magic were straining to contain her. Nuryev was frowning watching it.

Cristoff was chained to a table a short distance away, heavy manacles on his wrists and ankles, another around his neck. Nuryev sighed waving the young woman who was on top of Cristoff away.

"I'm sorry your highness, he…I can't get him there…" She blushed, sliding off the Lunar Slayer and the mans eyes were silver, something Nuryev knew meant he was enraged, if not for the heavy manacles the slayer would be in dragon force.

From the tattoos on the mans body he knew he'd be formidable too so four magic cancelling manacles enough lust and mind-altering drugs to drive 15 vulcans mindless and send them off to fuck anything that was in reach was in the mans system yet the slayer remained unusable and completely uncooperative even after having his mate brought in and forcing her to handle him.

"Put the bitch back in her cell, I need to speak with the potion masters about changing the combinations." He snapped, rubbing his temples and glaring at the Dragon Slayer. Two days, as soon as the slayer was awake Nuryev had started working on him. Pumping drugs into him, he'd found out the hard way he couldn't mind control his mate at all. The other mate? Yes, the Dragon bitch…no, he'd nearly died, her fucking dragon soul meant business.

So far all he'd been able to do was placate his mother by pumping the slayer full of a drug combination that let her use his body for pleasure, but he still couldn't make the damn man viable for stud use. Erections he could force on the Dragon Slayer, but not the rest, not what they needed from him most.

His mother wasn't entirely happy either, not liking how the slayer had been on the edge of unconscious because of how heavily drugged he had to be in order to get him, and keep him in a state where the Queen could enjoy his body. She wanted him to react to what she did to him, and apparently, he wasn't.

Her servants still showed up after a short time to collect the Slayer, dragging him from the table and while they were three large men, and he was heavily drugged to the point it was a wonder he was conscious, the slayer still managed to slam a shoulder into one of the servants and send two of them flying before guards dove in and it ended up taking seven people to wrestle the slayer onto the wheeled gurney to take him to the Queen.

Nuryev watched him still struggling all the way into the elevator. He couldn't blame him, Nuryev had spent a lot of time in his mothers playroom, and while he didn't outwardly put up fights about it anymore, he could only pity the Dragon Slayer for what he was certainly going to endure in there for the next few hours.

He was talking with the potionmasters when one of his mothers attendants appeared a while later.

"My Prince, her majesty would like to have use of the Dragon Slayers mate." The man said. Nuryev cringed inwardly, his mother loved getting reactions out of her playthings.

The man seeing he had Nuryevs full attention bowed slightly "She does not wish to impede your work, wishes to know if taking the mate and tormenting her a little…just for fun…while her slayer watches would be allright? She wants the mate to watch her use the slayer."

The Prince stared at the servant. So his mother wanted to torture the slayer and his mate, common for her, she loved the reactions, and maybe she thought the slayer would suddenly start responding better, get more compliant if his mate was there, but Nuryev knew better.

He sighed. "I will say no, it will trigger enragement to the point of self destruction in both specimens, she'll have to make do with just the male. When we get one of the other pairs she'll be able to enjoy them a lot more because I'll be able to control non-dragon slayer mates. Remind her of that, hopefully it will make her happy."

The servant bowed low again "Yes my Prince, thank you, I shall relay your words to the Queen." The man left and Nuryev went back to what he was doing, leading the potionmasters from the work area by the cells because he didn't want to be bothered by more of his mothers perverse requests and wanted to focus on his work. He also, just didn't want to be there when they brought the slayer back.

He didn't care, he hated the Dragon Slayers, all of them and their whores, but the man was basically taking his place in his mother play room and he was very glad of that, just seeing him after his mother was done reminded Nuryev it could have been him, would be him again if this didn't work.

So he left with the potionmasters, guards trailing after him and the holding area was quiet except for the sobs of the slayers mate and the other mates soft attempts to soothe her.

Lucy pressed against the bars, she knew she couldn't see Wendy, but she heard her, sobbing miserably in the other cell. She had no view of the work area, but had heard everything the prince had tried since that morning and now Cristoff had been hauled off, again, for the sick torture session with the Queen.

Lucy refused to think of it any other way, she couldn't because it had been nearly ten hours since they had last seen Vander, but she'd heard plenty about how hard hunters were trying to get more of the mates, and how high the bounty was for capturing her own mate now that Nuryev knew he could mind control Lucy.

That had been a nightmare experience she was trying along with the other things not to think about.

"Wendy…Wendy please talk to me…" She called.

Wendy was huddled on the floor against the wall by the door, bruises on her arms already blackening from the guards handling of her. She writhed, drowning in the pain and despair mixed still with ever weakening fury that was rolling into her from Cristoff. He was losing ground, he hadn't slept, rested, had anything to eat or drink in two days, Nuryev had been alternating with his aunt and mother working on Cristoff around the clock.

"They…they're destroying him Lucy! I can FEEL it! I can FEEL what that monster is doing to him! He's suffering...Gods….where is Vander…." She sobbed.

"Right here…I'm here, shush now…keep your voices low and don't look for me…I'm here, I have more vials of the neutralizer for those potions they're making you guys drink, when they bring Cristoff back…I'll get his into him if I can, they're keeping him chained on the table in the work area hoping the separation from you weakens him more…Wendy…Wendy I need you to be strong…you can't let him see you cry, you can't give in this way, half of his suffering is what he's feeling from you I promise, you have to be strong…" Vanders voice was soft, and both women sat silent.

Wendy calmed herself, frowning, he was right, she couldn't add to what Cristoff was enduring by letting it crush her, she had to be strong for him…maybe her strength, her determination, could bolster him and she closed her eyes, reaching for him even knowing what she'd feel when she opened herself to him through the bond again.

She stiffened, almost groaned at the disgust and exhaustion, the anger that saturated her mates being but she loved him, so much, pushed that through to him with all the strength she had. She felt him latch on to it, to her, there was a sensation of him almost retreating into her and she whole heartedly embraced it, him, trying to convey all she felt, all of her strength, her certainty they would get through this, that they would end these people.

She would too, she felt the need rise through him until it was pushing away the pain, the exhaustion, the disgust, rage, pure deep rage, the need to end their enemies so they could be together again. She clung to that, let it fill her and added her own burning fury to his, let the fires lace and build each other and the connection between them was wide open again, where it had become narrow and strained, now it raged once more, fueled by the conviction that they would end this, that he would be with her again and they would, side by side, destroy their enemies.

"You're right, I'm sorry, it won't happen again…Vander…when are they going to be here?" She asked.

There was silence, and she saw vial placed in front of the bars to her cell, he couldn't reach in to give them to her, it would trigger an alarm, but she could reach out. So she took what he'd given her, carefully pressing her face by the bars out of sight of the camera in her cell to drink them down.

Lucy did the same and then they put the vials back outside the cells and Vander collected them. He'd been bringing them neutralizers that cancelled the effects of the lust potions and mind controllers.

He hadn't been able to get enough into Cristoff, they were just pumping him full of so much, and he was very rarely not being fucking tortured, but he knew what he was doing was helping so he continued. There was nothing he could do about the concoction the Queens physician injected into Cristoff when he was taken to her chamber, he hadn't been able to get a sample of that to his connection in Hasta that was making the neutralizers for him.

The syringes he'd managed to get after the Queen left the chamber and Cristoff was removed just didn't have enough in them for the alchemist to work with. He knew it unfortunately made Cristoff hard enough the queen could use his body, and while she got nothing out of him but the pleasure she took using him, it still was taking its toll on his brother, he could see it in his eyes, when he was awake enough to open them.

"The Aisipel is the fastest Gunship in the fleet, they should be getting here some time tomarrow. All of the other slayers are on the ship, including your mate Cobra Lucy, and Levy and Emma were moved to the Boscan Embassy in Crocus so they're safe." He told them.

"Thank God." Lucy whispered. They could talk freely now, anyone watching would assume the women were talking to each other now.

"I also figured out how to get your keys free Lucy, took some digging around the Princes study but here." He set a little sharp long pointed crystal on the floor outside Lucys bars, she picked it up and slipped it into her bra quickly.

"Wow…you know, there are times I envy you women…I mean, instant private hiding spots on your person few men will dare to challenge right between your tits." Vander observed.

Lucy smirked in spite of herself and heard Wendy snort and the idea of the miserable Sky slayer smiling for even a second made Lucy want to kiss Vander right then.

"Seriously, men can't do that, I sure can't hide things by my balls, gods the idea of sticking that crystal down my pants just about makes my stealth fall off." He added.

Lucy laughed, heard Wendy do the same, the idea of any man trying to stick the pointed crystal that was now nestled against her right breast into their underwear was too much.

"Glad my genders inability to hide things in our shorts amuses you both. Anyway, there should be a hole in that crystal somewhere, I'm betting around the edges where it's attached to the wall, put that into it and it should open, not right this minute of course but soon." Vander said.

"I'm here though, I was out gathering those potions and getting you that key Lucy, but I'm still here, I won't leave you. I have orders now from my King, I need to go take care of those commands, but I'll be back soon ok?" He said and both women acknowledged him enough he dissolved back into shadows and left them, swiftly moving through the hall to the elevator shaft.

He knew his way around this section of the palace very well now. That labs built to torture and experiment on people were part of the wing the royal family slept in said a lot.

He'd be lying if he claimed the orders he'd received from the King of Bosco less than an hour ago hadn't made him darkly happy. When he slid into the chamber he least liked going into it took him a moment to readjust himself, to recover from unwillingly seeing what the Queen was doing.

Queen Kressa was a nightmare, she really was, the woman had murdered her own husband and started raping her own son before the body of his father was even cold. Evil didn't seem a strong enough word to describe just how terrible the woman was. Her sister was no better.

Tuvenia was resting, her robe not tied shut, and though she had a fine body, was beautiful by any standard, Vander recoiled a little inside, repulsed by her as he slid silently to the shadows of the chair she sat in, smiling serenely, setting her wine glass down so her servant could refill it.

"Oh! Gods!...Yes!...you can close those blue eyes but I know you feel this Boscan!" The Queen was panting and Yuvenia was smirking, that the Dragon Slayer happened to be Boscan, bore tattoos that clearly identified him as a man of rank, one valued by the royal house of Sevens hated neighbor, was his sad misfortune.

It had certainly added to the pleasure her sister and her were taking in using him. Boscans were such a proud people, charm, silken personalities, seductive and sensual, all of them were like that.

They were also proud of their freedom, of their rights concerning their bodies, so having one like this, a gorgeous, young, sexy Boscan male who bore symbols in his smooth skin that declared him a Knight, then there was the guild symbol for White Sea, a guild deeply hated in Seven, on his arm. Oh they were deeply enjoying using him.

His body was flawless, heavy with conditioned, toned muscle, his long hair was so fun to pull, he was bigger than her nephew in every way, and getting his eyes to change color had become the queens new delight. It was the only sign they had they were affecting him, but it was one he could only hide by closing his eyes.

Neither she nor her servant noticed the pale red liquid that flowed into her glass with the wine, she was too busy watching her sister, catching her breath until it was again her turn. She loved the taste of him, while his delicious scent had now been drowned in sweat and sex from two days and nights of constant torture, he still tasted good, that he was fighting them today, instead of being boneless and mostly unconscious as he had been yesterday was a delight both women were enjoying.

They'd learned though to stay away from his mouth, he had extremely sharp teeth and didn't hesitate to use them. So he had a snug gag on now, binding his mouth shut.

They were still able to hear him though, his growls were something else they both took delight in, though he hadn't given them any this round yet in spite of their efforts.

The Queen groaned out her finish and a few minutes later came and sat heavily next to her sister, waving impatiently at the servant pouring her wine, eyes locked on the man chained to the large bed before her.

"Imagine what it will be like when he's compliant, when we have the others…I showed you the images we have, I think the blonde one is actually bigger than this one is, heavier muscled, taller, and my son says his mate isn't a dragon slayer, so he'll be able to control her, use her to send her mate into this thing he calls "Dragon Lust" doesn't that just sound delightful?"

She, like her sister, did not see the pale liquid spill into her glass with the wine, and she lifted it to her sister, nodding toward the Dragon Slayer "His eyes are that gorgeous dark blue again, see if you can make them change." She challenged, drinking her wine as her sister laughed and headed for the bed.

Vander slid to the shadows up by the ceiling again, giving his brother a worried look, he wasn't one for prayer but he still offered up a quick one as Yuvenia grabbed Cristoffs hair and wrenched his head back.

"Soon big brother, soon, they wont be feeling well in just a little here…" he willed the thought to reach his brother, even though he knew it wouldn't it made him feel better. Not as good as tipping those vials into those glasses had though.

Yuvenia was biting and sucking on his brothers neck when she suddenly sat back, a thin sheen of sweat on her face, her skin a little paler.

She sighed, looking over at her sister. "You know…all this non-stop effort…I'm thinking perhaps a real nap is in order, I want to fuck him again, but I'm just tired and sleep would make my efforts more…vigorous." She said. Kressa frowned slightly but wiped her brow, sweat dampened her hand, she'd ridden the man hard and for a long time.

Yuvenia was right, they'd been sleeping for 4-6 hours then coming in here to use the slayer for two days and nights straight, perhaps it was time for a break.

"You know, he should probably be fed, given water, we don't want him dying he's too valuable. Yes, I think you're right, thinking about it I'm tired too." She admitted.

"Servants, take the slayer back to the lab, see to it he eats and drinks then lock him in a cell, find out whether my son wants him in with his whore or not, I know he gets stronger when he's with her, maybe it's time we give him that, I don't want him over weakened." She said firmly, then looked to her aid who came and fussed over her "My Queen, perhaps a hot bath and a small meal before you rest?" The woman suggested and the Queen nodded, rising to walk with her sister from the room.

Vander smiled faintly, watching the servants adjust Cristoffs heavy manacles, running chains through them braced on heavy things before detaching him from the heavy anchor points on the bed.

The physician came in, hurried to the man, checking him over and frowning. "I spoke with the prince, take him to his mates cell, we'll give her food and water for him, I'm certain she'll make sure he's attended to and it will be much safer than trying to handle him ourselves." He said, the servants didn't argue, some of them wore bruises from bringing the slayer into the chamber and getting him chained down the way the Queen wanted him.

Xoooxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Wendy glared as the guards came to her cell "We're bringing your mate in with you woman, if you fight us, we'll just chain him up in the work area again, but if you cooperate, we'll give you food and water for him and leave him with you for a while." One said in a thick accent.

Wendys eyes flew wide and she backed quickly away "I'll cooperate, please…I need to see him…" She said, letting a shake affect her voice. Inwardly she was picturing tearing the men to pieces with her bare hands, but if letting them come in without a fight would bring Cristoff to her, she'd do whatever they asked.

A tray with a large bowl of thick soup, pitcher of water, glasses to drink from, was brought in and set on the small table by the bed, then, Cristoff was drug in, he hung limp, a guard at each arm legs dragging, his long black hair hiding his face as his head hung down.

The guards hefted him onto the bed and left swiftly, bringing up the magical barriers and closing the door and locking it before leaving.

As soon as they were out of the way Wendy flew to the bed, rolling Cristoff to his back, careful of the heavy manacles on his wrists so she didn't hurt either of them.

"Oh Gods…Cristoff…" She whispered, pushing his heavy hair from his handsome face and hastily removing the gag from his mouth so she could kiss him.

He reeked of those women, of that horrible queen and her sister, of the woman brought in by Nuryev, one of the "Brood" women chosen to breed with him. But Wendy didn't care, she went to the small bathroom, wetting one of the course wash Cloths and returning to start wiping the sweat from his face, careful of the manacles on her own wrists that she didn't accidentally hit him with one.

"Get these into him." A voice called and she looked to the bars, vials sat outside and she went to the bars as if to look out, careful to hide the vials from the camera, sliding them into the wash cloth and going back to her husband.

She tipped a vial to his parted lips and watched his eyes open in alarm, barely managing to stop him from batting it away she leaned over him, locking her eyes on his.

"Cristoff, it's me…it's me! Stop…take this…please…" She pleaded and recognition sharpened the dark blue eyes she loved so much. He drank what she gave him, then the next two vials, saying nothing, just staring at her, a hand coming up and touching her hair.

"Wendy…I'm so…sorry…" He breathed and she frowned, "No, I won't accept that, you have nothing to apologize for damn it. Now sit up, I need you to eat, drink, Gods…I know they haven't let you." She growled. He smiled faintly, she had to help him, propping pillows up behind him, but he obeyed, never taking his eyes off of her, kept reaching out and touching her but she stayed firmly in nurse mode, watched him eat every bit of what had been brought and drink some of the water before she would set it aside, then, and only then, did she lunge into his arms and let him hold her.

The waves of comfort, the feeling of being complete again washed over both of them. Though only separated by short distances for the last two days, what they had been enduring, especially what Cristoff had been going through, had put a heavy and severe strain on their bond. Cristoff had drifted in and out of reach on the all of the drugs that had been getting pumped into him. She could feel what Vander had brought helping him too.

She nuzzled into his neck, but after a few moments recoiled and smiled thinly at him. "There's a shower in the bathroom…" she said and he smiled "yeah…I'm going to need many…I don't think there's a soap strong enough…a day soaking in the Grass Sea under the moon sounds close to heaven to me right now." His voice was weak, the heavy collar they used to keep him in place on the table in the work area had done damage during his struggles against it.

Wendy itched to heal him, to smooth away all of the marks all over his body, her dragon was not pleased about any of them and neither was she. She pulled him to his feet, helped him to small bathroom and as she helped scrub him down he sighed into her hands.

His body felt bruised everywhere, he wouldn't say anything but his groin in particular from how hard Nuryev and the assortment of women including the Queen and her sister had been working on that part of him.

He'd not given them even a hint of what they wanted though, even when they had forced Wendys hands onto him, the dragon within knew she was being forced and recoiled from the forced contact, infuriated by her tears, by the inability to just tear the men hurting her apart.

Their bond protected him from giving in, his own natural resistance to poisons, toxins and drugs in spite of the magic dampeners clasped to his wrists and ankles coupled with the enhancement of holy magic gifted to him through immersion in immaculate light not that long ago had given him resistance to the drugs, the endless potions they had forced down his throat and injected into his veins.

Then there had been those moments his little brother had gotten to him, whispered encouragement, tipped vials of neutralizers into his mouth, told him help was coming, Wendy was still unharmed.

He chuckled faintly, feeling his body responding to his mates touch, smelling that hers was warming to his. "Enough of that…no play…Not until I can feel their life leave their bodies…" He breathed softly and Wendy nodded pressing her lips together, she certainly was not in the mood, no matter how her body felt.

The Dragon magic just wanted to feed the bond, it didn't care where they were, mending needed to be done and intimacy between them would speed that. It would wait though.

Cristoff held his hands against the tile wall as Wendy shut off the water and started drying him off, there was no shame in how weak he was, it ate at the edges of his feelings but Wendy had driven it away well enough. He could not help what they had done to him, but eating, cleaning away the stench of sex and the women helped him, not as much as laying on the bed and wrapping himself around Wendy though.

"Cristoff? Wendy? Is everything ok?" Lucys voice came and Wendy smiled nuzzling into Cristoffs neck and gratified not to be assaulted by the smells of nightmares anymore.

"Yes, he's weak…but he's ok." Wendy called back.

"Good, the clock is ticking now, hatavi venom is flowing through the Prince, his mother and his aunt…fucking Prince was a pain in the ass to get it into, but the Allsaidian dynasty wont last through the next 72 hours." Vanders voice rang into both cells and Cristofs eyes flew open, a brutal smile curling his lips.

"Hatavi? Good choice." He said hoarsely.

Wendy frowned, looking at Cristoff and he smiled at her, kissing her, he lacked the voice to explain, his throat was just about on fire, had been for some time.

"Hatavi are winged serpents that hunt over the Grass Sea in Bosco, they come in vivid colors, are really quite lovely and unless you're prey, not aggressive but they're extremely poisonous, their venom causes neurological break down and loss of motor control resulting in a slow, relatively painful death but it has the side effect of, when ingested, making the victim very tired, gradually paralyzing them, so by the time the pain begins, they can't even master the control to scream or blink or move so they can writhe in agony, all they can do is wait and suffer until they die, which, without help, takes about 72 hours." Vander explained.

"Aside from possibly Cobra being able to make one, there is no cure." Cristoff rasped and Wendy kissed him again.

"Important thing is, it's slow acting, they'll just act tired and think they need rest, the servants wont be alerted to anything being wrong." Vander said from the shadows.

Lucy shuddered, it was a horrific fate, but she couldn't feel bad for them, not after all they had done.

"I'll be back, I need to check in." Vander said and though they had neither seen nor had any hint he was there aside from his voice coming from nowhere, he left them and angled his way to the rooftop beneath a shaded cooling device that blew fresh chilled air into the palace.

He'd found it to be the best place to dodge the guards and patrols that kept the palace secure.

Kaleb answered on the first tone. "20 minutes, get them ready, we'll get them on board the ship then see to our mission here." Kaleb said by way of greeting.

"Hi big brother, great to see you, yeah I'm fine, Cristoff is beat to fuck but with Wendy right now and all three are currently safe in their cells. I'll clear out the immediate guards for the level they're on and get them ready, love you too." Vander replied and smirked when his brother rolled his eyes before the com went dark.

With that Vander smiled, drawing in his magic and moving swiftly back to the cell level, pulling daggers from their places on his thighs he came up behind the frist doorway and emerged from the guards own shadow, the daggers slicing deeply through the mans throat before thrusting up through the base of his skull as he went down gurgling, falling limp to the ground, dead before he hit it and Vander already gone into the shadows moving to his next target.

This was what he did, covert insertion and methodical elimination of targets, recovery of information and sometimes items, even people, he could easily carry a man his size through the shadows and get them out of just about anywhere.

His father used his skills often to rescue kidnapped children being held ransom, or in a few cases nobility in compromised locations.

Shadowquips were incredibly rare, to his knowledge he was the only one anywhere, he'd met shadow magic users, but none could do quite what he could, creating clothes, armor, weapons out of shadows and being able to stealth themselves even in direct light with no shadows around with certain types of armor he could create at will.

It was an endless little battle he dealt with, the shadows always had things in them that called, lured, tried to offer things to him, but he'd been born with this magic, his soul had made its choices long ago and he passed through the shadows as easily as air anymore.

One by one men and women fell dead to his blades or to a harsh twist of their heads snapping their necks, each body moved from easy view, cuts made to face corners or less obvious places where a sudden spray of blood wouldn't be glaringly obvious, he knew his work.

The level was clear of every living being except his nakama in less than 10 minutes, including a swift trip to the control room where the cameras fed to lacrima screens monitored by guards where the guards there were swiftly dispatched and the lacrima screens destroyed, all alarms disabled before he returned to the cells, keys on his belt and the cell lacrima that would disable the magic fields containing his nakama in hand.

Lucy stood, walking to the wall and ramming the crystal Vander had given to her into the hole she'd found, the crystal case snapped open and she snatched her keys from it, hugging them to her chest as Vander lowered the magic field on her cell and opened the door.

He tossed her the key to her manacles and moved to Wendy and Cristoffs cell, opening it and reaching out as his brother tried to walk but was still too weak to manage it well.

Propping him against the wall across from the cell Vander drew his pack from the shadows and handed Wendy clothes for his brother, the boxers and sleep pants he'd been in when they had abducted him were long since discarded and once the manacles were off Cristoffs ankles he silently helped his brother into clean pants and underwear while Wendy took the key and undid Cristoffs wrist manacles then her own, healing away the marks on his face and neck the moment magic flooded to her use.

His magic rushing back to him Cristoff leaned his head against the wall for moment and he pulled the tshirt Vander handed him over his head then leaned on his brother so he could pull boots onto his feet.

Grabbing Vander around the neck he yanked his brother to him and kissed his forehead "Thank you." He said quietly, the fierce conviction in his tone making Vander fail at trying to smirk at him, managing a crooked smile instead and swallowing a lump from his throat.

His older brothers were his greatest friends, of his entire family, short of their father and often Bickslow, Cristoff was who he turned to when he struggled with anything or needed someone to talk to.

Until he had been sent to Fairy Tail, Cristoff had been the greatest constant in his life, the person who, if for various reasons he couldn't go to their father, he always could rely on.

Watching his brother endure the last two days while powerless to stop it all had been the worst thing he had ever endured in his 19 years of life. Pouring that venom into those glasses, slipping it into Nuryevs tea, had been some of the most satisfying moments he'd ever enjoyed.

He'd watched Nuryev take Cristoff on several occasions right to the edge of death, watched the Queen do it, the combinations of drugs and potions and spells being used on him sometimes a deadly mixture their doctors were barely able to reverse before his brother had slipped too far away to recover.

More than once he'd nearly dove from the shadows to attack the people around Cristoff, ready to kill them all to save him, to stop his suffering, but if he had, he'd risk capture himself, risk his brothers life and if he escaped without freeing them, the Prince would have taken his brother and the women to somewhere even more secure than this wing of the Palace.

Vander froze, pressing his brother against the wall and melting away to shadow to fly to the end of the hall, one of his toys had gone off and he rushed to it to see what was moving their way, leaping out of the shadows to duck under Kalebs swiftly swung saber and hug his older brother before pointing down the hallway for Cobra who bolted past them.

Cobra saw Bickslows brother step out of thin air and watched him bend to avoid Kalebs hastily swung saber by a hairs width. The young mage was a cocky thing, no doubt about that, but his entire focus was on getting to Lucy, the Shadowquip seemed to know it, pointing down the hall when he met Cobras look and the Poison Slayer raced down the hallway. He smelled her, felt her before he saw her and as soon as he saw the blonde hair he reached and swung her up off the ground to crush her against him.

She wrapped herself around him tightly, kissing him fiercely, bruising his lips but he didn't care.

"I missed you!" She breathed against his mouth between kisses. Arms tight around his neck not letting him pull back, legs hard around his waist he pressed her against the wall across from where Cristoff was leaning beside Wendy and kissed her back.

"I love you Lucy." He whispered against her lips and she gasped, yanking herself back to stare at him "Who are you and where is my mate?" She smirked and he growled at her, not in the mood for teasing.

"You hear that?" Cristoff asked Wendy, grinning at the glaring Poison Slayer Wendy smirked "I heard it, he can't deny it now."

"I never fucking denied anything, fuck off, show me where the assholes are we're killing because I need to beat some ass." He growled.

Lucy kissed him again as Kaleb and the others reached them. Two crewmen from the Aisipal stepped forward to help Wendy with Cristoff and a moment later they teleported out of the hallway with the couple.

Kaleb looked at Lucy questioning and she narrowed her eyes "Oh I'm not leaving until I get some payback…" She told him and Cobra smirked, kissing her as he let her slide down to her feet.

"You're sexy when your vicious." He whispered and Lucy turned in his arms to face the others.

Vander smiled, clapping his hands together. "Right, so I guess I'm tour guide…come with me then, they've got some lovely scenic spots good for pictures while you're killing Sevenese assholes. I recommend the laboratory one floor down and if you want to deprive Nuryev of a slow painful death we could swing by the third floor, they have some nice wines and an assortment of aids and servants who deserve painful deaths." Vander said brightly making Lucy snort and Kaleb smack him in the shoulder.

"I want Nuryev…." Cobra growled. Vander nodded and Kaleb looked at the slayer and Lucy for a few moments before nodding "I agree, lets make certain the Allsaidians are extinct before we leave." Kaleb said and they headed to the elevator.

Nuryev was exhausted, laying on a chaise lounge in his chambers by the large windows that opened out onto his private balcony above the palace gardens. He had no idea how things had caught up to him like this, even a potion to invigorate him had helped only enough he wasn't already sleeping.

It was far from the first time he'd kept a schedule as tough as the last two days had been, and he knew he'd held up schedules more brutal and punishing for longer in the past too but after lunch he'd just badly needed to lay down and rest, dismissing the potion masters and physicians back to the laboratories and laying on his chaise to read some of the accumulated research and data collected on his three test subjects over the last couple of days.

He was pleased with what had come back on the Poison Slayers mate, she held treasure beyond just the fact he could control her and was certain he could use her to cripple and control her mate.

He couldn't touch her soul, the Dragon prevented that, but her mind he could take.

He just needed a good nights sleep, the slayers could wait, letting the male stay with his mate for the night would strengthen him but not enough they wouldn't be able to maintain use of him at least on the level they had been when his mother was done with her nap.

That she hadn't gotten tired sooner surprised him, she usually didn't even try to torment him as much as she had this Boscan Dragon Slayer.

He heard his door open behind him "I'd prefer tea over more wine Halsey, I'm very tired." He called. There was no immediate answer and her frowned, starting to turn to snap at the servant when a purple scaled taloned hand clamped over his throat and something grabbed his arm and clamped something heavy on his wrist, he felt his magic drain out of reach as his eyes flew wide and met a single narrowed amethyst one.

"Havati does that to you." The man before him sneered and Nuryev would have screamed for the guards but the hand around his throat was clamping too tightly for him to utter more than a rasping gurgle as talons pierced his skin.

The Blonde came to his shoulder and Nuryev knew then exactly who he was, Cobra…

"See, I'm a poison Dragon Slayer, I can smell that Havati venom, amazing snakes Havati…I used to have one, they're related to Dragons you know? They're venom is like wine to me, developed an antivenin for that beautiful stuff when I was still a child, it would be so easy for me to pump just a bit through my claws into your blood stream, stop the Havati from doing what it's going to do to you, you're a doctor, a "scientist" I'm sure you've heard of Havati venom, you had some dead ones in that nightmare of a lab you kept in ERA back in Fiore." The fingers tightened a moment then loosened, just barely enough for Nuryev to breathe.

He glared up at the man, hands uselessly pulling and clawing at the mans scaled arm, trying to strike him any way he could until a ginger haired man with blue glasses in a black suit appeared and wrenched his hands away from Cobra.

"I'm not going to do that though, you took my mate, kept her in a cage, tried to take her soul…hell, just the fact you scared her and those fucking manacles left bruises on her wrists is enough for me to kill you for. But then you tortured my kin too, our family. I could have just passed your room, let the Havati take you, Gods…you'd suffer pretty bad for hours while it killed you, but see, while Havati venom is pretty amazing…MY venom is better." He smiled, fangs glinting in the afternoon light.

He took Nuryevs wrist that wasn't in a manacle and stretched it under his mouth, smiling, letting drops of venom drip from his fangs onto the mans skin and Nuryev recoiled, tried to wrench his hand away but the slayer held it firm as the venom burned into his skin.

Nuryev could only whimper, still barely able to pull air through his throat in the slayers grip.

"You'll be paralyzed in minutes now instead of hours, and my venom wont be kind like the Havati, no, you'll want to be screaming soon, writhing in pain as it breaks down your less vital organs first, liquifies them in your body, as the toxins build up, infection starts, it will advance fast, it might kill you before the Havati does, it might not, I'm not sure really…" He bit the mans wrist, fangs sinking deep into him and he felt the venom pump into him, burn its way into his blood stream.

Cobra released him then, and he sank back on the chaise lounge wide eyed, horror filling his face as Cobra smiled at him. "There might be a way, if anyone finds you today, that they could stop the Havati, I doubt it, I know there's no cure for that yet, no antivenin known, just mine, but my venom?" he chuckled standing up and pulling his mate to his side, kissing her and pushing her golden hair from her face with that purple scales hand, tender, gentle handling her, very unlike what it had just done to him.

"My venom, absolutely will kill you you son of a bitch. Your mother and aunt are both pumped full of Havati too, your bloodline, by the time we're done here, will be gone, the Allsaidians are no more and Seven will fall. That's what happens when sick fucks like you fuck with Fairy Tail and its Dragon Slayers." He sneered, and turned, pulling his mate with him, the ginger haired man falling in right behind them as they left his room.

Nuryev already couldn't move, the realization making horror flood through him as he stared out the window, unable to even move his eyes, all he could do was breathe and blink as a burning pain started to form in several places in his body….

Kaleb stood back, wiping his saber off on the sheets of the bed, Queen Kressa was dead, Vander leaned against the wall looking annoyed "You know the poison would have been more painful…seriously, she deserved it, this…this was too quick…you didn't see what she did to Cristoff…I did." He said.

Kaleb sheathed his saber, walking toward him "Gajeel and Laxus have hopefully handled the queens sister, I don't want to leave here with even the smallest chance they might survive. The King ordered them dead, the laboratory destroyed along with all of the research stored in this wing, we'll set the explosives you set off as we leave to handle that, and I don't doubt Cobra will make sure Nuryev is dead so no pouting." He smiled shoving Vander over so he could walk past him back into the hall.

They met a grim looking Laxus and Gajeel. "Done, the paralysis already had her anyway, one shot from Sparky and she was through." Gajeel said. Laxus rolled his eyes and the men headed for the elevator, meeting Cobra, Lucy and Loke there.

Kaleb and Vander looked curiously at Loke but seeing Laxus ruffle the mans ginger hair as he passed and the pair shrugged, following the others into the elevator to get up to the roof so they could get back aboard the Aisipal.

Thirty minutes later, as the Aisipal rose up to a better altitude for high speed flight, explosions rocked the palace below and alarms rang out all through Hasta. The Boscan Gunship, neatly stealthed, was never seen, and it was assumed everyone, including the Royal family, all of the concubines, the labs, everything, was lost in those explosions. Who set them, nobody knew.

Vander sat at the ready room table, eyeing his brothers. They were at full steam for the Capital of Bosco. Everyone had agreed to give Cristoff his request, and Kaleb was currently contemplating one from Vander.

Bickslow was sitting back, his girlfriend, who Vander had to admit was seriously hot, sitting beside him and, he was made a little uneasy by this, Kalebs woman…Kaleb suddenly HAD a woman, he'd met her and all, been around her for more than a week but still it was shocking to think Kaleb had a woman who tolerated his cool excessively level headed to the point of dull demeanor, and she was pretty smoking hot too.

When had his brothers had time to find and establish relationships with beautiful women? It seemed like it hadn't been all that long since Cristoff had been teaching him, via showing him, with four gorgeous women he'd met at one of the clubs in White Sea, all older than even Cristoff, leaving Vander just about dumbfounded he was getting to participate and learn this way, how to please more than one woman at a time.

That really hadn't been that long ago…had it? Now Cristoff was curled up with his mate and wife…committed TWICE to her, as if once weren't enough. Granted, he was beat to hell, had been drugged and tortured nearly to death repeatedly for a couple of days and nights but aside from a hug and a thank you for Vander he'd clearly wanted to be with Wendy and had retreated to the captains own quarters, that she insisted they take so Cristoff could rest well and Wendy could care for him.

"I'll make you a deal." Kaleb finally said and Vander leaned closer to the table. "Get two solid take overs on her, no fucking bunnies or ridiculous pink birds or the damned strip tease kitten bullshit, actual combat worthy take overs, complete a single job with her and we'll call it good."

Vander groaned, his head hitting the table with an audible thunk. "Does she have to survive the job?" He asked. Kaleb rolled his eyes "I'm going to rest until we reach Pelerno." He said, leaving the ready room and heading for the bunk area.

Bickslow was smiling at his baby brother, he loved Vander, by far the most adventurous of all of them, his brother was fun at his own level and Bickslow had always loved that about him, they had always gotten along really well, their brands of smart ass matched.

"Cheer up Vander, Lisannas a brat but she's lost her pampering support system, you might make headway quicker than you think." He said.

"That's right, and if you want help with drilling her I will be happy to assist you." Erza said. Both Bickslow and Vander pressed their lips together.

"If I wanted to drill her I think I'm better equipped than you Erza…" Vander snickered "Unless you want to hold her still…"

Erza frowned at first then it finally dawned on her and she blushed but glared at Vander and punched Bickslow, snickering quietly beside her, in the arm.

Since it was Erza he was proud he didn't yelp and reached up to rub it, certain it would bruise but it didn't slow his humor down any.

"You said it honey." He pointed out.

"I was offering help with training…not sex." Erza snapped.

"Well damn, because you're a lot hotter than the brat…to be honest, there's nothing hot about that girl, pretty to look at but once that mouth opens…ugly as hell." Vander said unhappily.

Bickslow smirked at him "You'd so tap that though." He said.

Vander glared at him, then it faded quickly into a smirk "Yeah…yeah I'd still fuck her… if her sister weren't a Demon and her brother weren't as big as a damn tree."

Xooxxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Pelerno sat about a hundred miles from the border with Fiore along the Western shore of the Grass Sea it was the largest Airship port in Earthland, a hub for trade all over. The consulate rose up some 60 stories beside the massive port and Bickslow pointed it out to Erza as the Aisipal was maneuvering into its assigned dock.

"My oldest brother Farron and my father work there. 58th floor is all devoted to my Father and the work he does." Bickslow said smiling. He'd been leaning on the railing on the front of the ship with Erza pointing things out as they came into the capital.

Erza was wide eyed. She'd been into Bosco a couple of times on jobs but had never seen its largest city and she had to admit, it was spectacular. Bosco boasted a larger population than Fiore, close to 30 million. It's government, known as the Steel Council, was famous for how strategic it was, carefully guarding the rich history of the country while at the same time using Boscos prosperous fleets of Airships to grow its commerce and foreign trade into every country on Earthland.

The city was clean, modern, beautiful really, with tall white buildings designed to fit into the mountains that rose behind it, and the Grass Sea that stretched out before it. On either side lush farmland stretched out through gently rolling foothills. The Palace tucked up against the mountains, rising white against the darker rock of those mountains.

A large SE-car was waiting for them, bear consulate insignia and flags and everyone piled into it for the ride just outside the city to the Pradesh family estate.

"You grew up here Bix?!" Lucy breathed, looking wide eyed out the windows as they moved through the busy streets.

"Yup, Dad adopted me when I was 5 after my parents were killed, was here until I was 15 and moved to Fiore to join Fairy Tail with my best friend." He said, kicking Laxus' boot, the Lightning Mage gave him a mild smile, preoccupied watching the familiar sights go by. He'd spent time here himself, a lot in fact after he was banished.

"What is that amazing smell? Like…flowers and citrus and water?" Erza asked suddenly and Lucy nodded at her, she'd been enjoying that herself, it was familiar and she wasn't sure why.

"The Grass Sea, that's what you smell, it's always like that, refreshing…beautiful." Bickslow said wistfully.

"You'll see people walking oddly, be certain not to stare or comment or offer to help them. Those who live on the Grass Sea walk oddly because they are adjusted to life on its moving surface, the walk is actually a point of pride, and considered honored, so be aware of that. Clan Born are very proud." Kaleb warned. Lucy had already noticed a few, people walking like they were swaying and about to fall over, like dizzy or really drunk was as close as she could come to a comparison.

She'd read about the Grass Sea, it was part of a standard geography course, Bosco was famous for it. The Grass Sea covered the heart of the country, spanning hundreds of miles. It was a shallow inland sea with rich waters fed by massive underground sources, no more than 50 feet deep in its deepest places, in some areas as shallow as 4-10 feet it was completely covered by a tightly woven mesh of thick lush plants of hundreds of varieties, anchored by a beautiful lush green grass.

The plants fed off the Sea, the sun, but also the moon and Lucy was really looking forward to seeing the "Lights of the Sea" when the moon came out and the luminous plants of the Grass Sea would glow in a broad spectrum of colors.

They left the city and crossed some farmland then drove right along the shore of the Grass Sea for a few miles before the car finally turned inland and rolled through the gates onto an estate.

As they pulled up in front of a massive two story house the color of the sand of the beach that came right onto the property with black shutters and a large white granite front porch. Standing on the porch was a tall man with black hair peppered with silver wearing a consulate suit smiling.

"Dad!" Bickslow called, out the door almost before the car stopped. The Seith mage bounded up the steps and hugged his father so hard he almost lifted the man off the ground. "Bickslow! Gods it's good to see you!" The man was smiling, Vander and Kaleb did nearly the same as Bickslow, even Laxus was pulled into a crushing hug by the tall man. Gajeel and Cobra hung back, standing near the door as Wendy came out, Gajeel reaching in to help Cristoff out of the car.

The day it had taken to reach Pelerno had done him some good but he was still shaky, still dealing with the after effects of all of the drugs in spite of Wendys best efforts.

Arman Pradesh noticed and hurried down the stairs, concern all over his face. "The Kings own physician is here waiting to help with this…oh Cristoff…" Arman hugged his son, taking in the tired eyes and pained expression that was so unlike his second youngest son.

Everyone was ushered by the insistent man into the house, Vander and Bickslow heading for the kitchen, Bickslow pulling Erza along with him. "If Mr. Eland has been cooking there's gonna be lots to eat, he makes Strawberry cake too!" He chuckled.

They all filed in, servants coming to show everyone to their rooms while Arman took Cristoff and Wendy through the house and out onto a massive deck that stretched out over the grass and sand. A covered area along the back deck held a beautiful rock formation that spilled water in a waterfall down into a huge steaming pool.

"My families hot bath, fed by water from the sea…" Cristoff told Wendy who was looking wide eyed at it.

A short somewhat portly man was smiling, dressed in gaudy orange shorts and a brightly printed orange and white shirt."

"Dr. Reyard…" Arman smiled "My son Cristoff."

The Doctor moved in, two nurses flanking him.

"Exposed to a lot of mind altering and body control potions and drugs in Seven right? Lets get you stripped down and into the water here my boy so you can start soaking and I can pull some blood and run some tests ok?" The Doctor said.

Arman showed Wendy a screened area where he encouraged her to help Cristoff change into some swim shorts before he helped his son into the steaming waters.

"While they get started why don't you change into a swimsuit so you can join him in the water my dear?" Arman offered. Wendy nodded, hurrying back inside to find Lucy, hoping maybe her friend might be able to help her since Wendy was still in a borrowed dress.

Lucy actually came out of her room carrying a small stack of clothes and grinned when she saw Wendy.

"Wendy! Virgo got these for you! There's a swim suit since I know we're hitting the beach tonight once the moon is up." The blonde called. Wendy gratefully took the clothes "Thank you Lucy, I'll pay you and Virgo back!" She said, Lucy shook her head "Don't worry about it honey, just get your man better, you and Cristoff are in the room across from Cobra and I…now…if you'll excuse me…I haven't seen my man in a few days…" She winked and Wendy smiled, turning to her own door while Lucy retreated back to her own room.

Wendy walked into the room and stopped, looking around for a moment. The bedroom was large, had its own private bathroom, and looked out over the front lawns and driveway of the house. A huge king sized bed dominated one side with dark gray blankets and black pillows very similar to the ones Cristoff had picked out for the bedroom in their home in Magnolia.

There were pictures on the dresser, she recognized Bickslow, Kaleb, Vander, Emzadi, there was also a woman with long black hair and another man, with deep mahogany colored hair and pale blue eyes.

She saw Cristoff, varying ages of her husband, and her breath hitched when she saw the picture on the wall of a young Cristoff, maybe 7, standing between the taloned feet of a massive dark blue dragon with shining silver eyes.

Cristoff was hugging the creatures face, the affection in its eyes clear. It was a beautiful, elegant dragon, with a long curving neck and curled horns protruding from the sides of the back of its head. It had to be Nurem, the Dragon who had taught Cristoff his magic.

What struck her most was he had several pictures of it, a few with the massive creature laying down, his whole family between its feet, it made her ache for Grandeeney. She had no pictures like that of her dragon. Her family.

Shaking her head she hurried to the bathroom to change into the black bikini Virgo had provided, smiling and shaking her head, of course Lucys spirit would select something like this for her. There was a knock and Wendy hurried to the door, finding a maid bowing.

"Mrs Pradesh, I am Lessia, head maid for the estate. Mr. Pradesh has asked me to get your size and pick up some clothes for you. I understand you will only be here a couple of days, but you were deprived of your own and your father and husband both wanted me to get you enough you might join the other women tomarrow morning for a shopping trip in some clothes that fit you…" The woman said.

Wendy smiled…she didn't get called Mrs. Pradesh often….she liked it. She gave the woman the information while they walked down the stairs so she could get back to Cristoff.

A few hours later, Cristoff was pulling himself from the hot water, refusing help, wanting to see if his body was responding better.

It felt like it. The Doctor had isolated the toxins still present in him and given him reversals for them, ordered him to soak more, especially once the moon was up, then everyone including the doctor and the nurses, went to the large tables and chairs on the deck where Mr. Eland, who was the chef for the estate, had set out a huge meal.

Once fed, everyone who wasn't already in them, put on their bathing suits and went to the beach as the sun had set, Cristoff smiling, taking Wendys hand "The moon will rise over there…" He said, pointing to a spot on the horizon as he led her down the beach.

He was walking fine, in spite of the sand, ignoring the fact Bickslow was hovering, just in case. There were lounges out on the beach and as it got darker and the moon finally crested and started to rise, Wendy stood in wide eyed wonder as the Grass Sea responded to the moonlight and lit up.

Colors like a rich sunrise radiated out as far as the eye could see and a warm breeze rich with the invigorating scent of the water blew over them. Cristoff led her out into the water, the plants were thin at the edge and she was surprised by the warmth of the water and how it felt on her skin.

Cristoff sank into the water and she slid against him, pushing at the soft plants that floated around them glowing. She could see Erza and Bickslow splashing each other, Bickslow trying to keep the redhead from getting a good grip on him to try and drag him down under the water.

Kaleb was on a lounge on the beach, talking to someone on his lacrima. Freed was floating among some plants looking serene until Laxus and Gajeel got to him, hefting him from the water and tossing him, the man screeched very much like a girl.

Lucy and Cobra were a little ways off, enjoying the water, but mostly each other, and Wendy smiled, eyes widening as she saw Laxus get hefted out of the water and tossed by Emzadi and Natsu, who had teamed up and were chasing a growling Gajeel after flinging the Lightning Slayer out past Freed.

The group then descended into a water war, an unspoken agreement not to use magic as they all tried to half drown each other among the glowing plants. They left the two couples alone though, everyone respected both couples needs to have a little time to themselves after what they had just been through.

Natsu picked himself up, managing to establish up from down after being skipped like a stone by Laxus, grinning he started back, staying low among the floating plants, seeking a target when he saw Emzadi emerge from the water a short distance away. Bickslow and Erza had ganged up on her after she'd soaked them both.

She stood up from the water, pushing her hair back from her face, arms stretched up to manage the long tresses so she could start tying a ribbon around them to hold them out of her way. Natsus mouth went dry, all thoughts of mischief leaving his mind as he watched her breasts strain against the deep blue halter top, golden chains adorned it, like most of what Emzadi wore, the little blue thong bottom of the swimsuit boasted more of the chains, dangling over her rounded behind. Full red lips parted slightly as she leaned her head back so she could catch all of her hair in the ribbon while water ran down her smooth tan skin, over tattoos similar to the ones her brothers had, declaring her clan, and, down her right side, from just below the side of her breast all the way to her knee was a golden dragon.

He'd not noticed when they had come out and run into the water, she'd worn a robe of sheer blue silk down to the beach, shedding it when he'd suggested they get Laxus and running after him to help.

The three days to Seven he'd been torn between guilt and happiness, in essence, guilty because he'd been happy he was spending time with Emzadi and not even Bickslow was trying to stop him.

Confined to the ship with nothing to do they had talked a great deal, played games and just stared off the ship at the sky. She was sharp, brilliantly so, had a powerful love for life and deep commitment to her family. She wasn't shy, held nothing back, and was always honest. She played no games, didn't act shy or confused around him, didn't flirt unless it was direct, and when she did that she usually laughed at his reactions.

She noticed him then, smiling down at him and she sank down into the water and glided right up to him. "Are you planning another attack?" She asked with her bright smile, orange eyes awash in colors like a sunrise reflected off the glowing plants all around them. The oranges and golds, pinks and blues were brilliant.

He shook his head, unable to think of anything to say and her smile changed. "Your heart is beating faster Fire Slayer, I can feel the heat rising on you…what are you thinking?" She asked softly.

"That I want to kiss you." Natsu replied bluntly, he had never been good at dancing around things or hiding anything.

Her smile held and she moved closer to him, her hands gliding onto his shoulders. "So then kiss me Dragon Slayer…or are all Fioran Slayers so shy and afraid?" She asked in a challenge and he growled at her, his dragon thrilling when her eyes instantly dilated at the sound before she narrowed them.

"Careful Little Dragon…I have claws and fangs too…" She warned, her growl ending his control over himself, he pulled her to him hard, crashing his lips over hers, drinking the end of her growl in.

His dragon keened inside of him and he heard it, clear, loud within him _Our mate! This female, so powerful, her fire is sweet, take her…claim her_ …

 _MINE_

He didn't have the desire to pursue that, to listen, he was lost in sensation, the scent of her, the spicy cinnamon taste as his tongue plunged into her mouth and slid against hers. She was pressing against him, legs wrapping around him beneath the water, long red nails running through his hair.

He could feel her sharp fangs as his tongue explored her mouth, his hands sliding to her firm rear, pulling her tight against him, smooth warm skin filling his hands as she tilted her head, slanting her lips, sucking his lower lip into her mouth to run a sharp fang over it and he growled at her again, heart racing when she purred in response.

Gods, no woman responded like this, he hadn't been with a lot, but none held a candle to this, none felt like this, like fire in his arms and when she ground her hips against him he moaned into her mouth.

"I have to have you…I must…Natsu…" She breathed, rubbing her body against him, purring as she trailed hot kisses from his jaw to his ear then bit his ear making him hiss.

"Fuck…Emi…where?" He managed, he couldn't last, couldn't hope to resist her, his dragon was losing its mind.

Emzadi pulled him under the water then, dragging him with her, around the others, angling in to the house and from the water she led him to a side door and swiftly upstairs, yanking him into a room and slamming the door, driving the lock shut while he stood, dazed, and then she was on him again.

He was shoved hard, flying backwards to collide with a large bed and he snarled at her, watching her eyes flash, her full red lips pull into a wicked smile as she stalked toward him and he crouched.

"Pretty rough for a pretty girl…" He growled.

She widened her eyes "Oh!? Did I hurt you? If all you want is a soft gentle woman don't tease a Dragoness little Fire Slayer." She mocked and he narrowed his eyes.

"There's nothing little about me…" He warned and she laughed "So says every man…I will be the judge." She growled back at him defiantly.

 _YES! She's perfect_! His dragon raged and he ignored it, holding a defensive stance as she got closer, curled her lips back to bare her fangs.

"Have I scared you? I'll leave, go back to the water if you've suddenly realized I'm too much for you…it would be far from the first time a man has cowered away from my bed." She said.

Natsu smirked "You talk a lot…how about we change to words into moans?" He lunged forward and she spun, avoiding his hand, twisting grabbing his shoulder, shoving him hard so he flew back onto the bed and she was on top of him.

 _NO! She can't dominate us, she can not ride us! We'll never be able to mate with her if we let her dominate us_! His dragon screamed and Natsu fisted his hand in her hair, thrusting forward and slamming her onto her back, kissing her roughly while he pinned her beneath him.

She writhed, snarling and bending her body, kissing him back, running her tongue up his neck as she tried to get the upper hand again but he stayed just that slight bit ahead of her, finally catching her wrists, getting them into one of his hands and pinning them over her head.

One tug on a string and the bikini bottom was gone and Natsus fingers slid over her exposed center, earning him his first moan from the Solar Dragon. He fumbled a little, wriggling from his own damp swim trunks then removing the halter top, delighted it was another simple thing to get off of her, but his breath caught at the sight of her naked beneath him.

As soon as he was distracted she bucked her body, almost tossing him off her completely, and they wrestled across the bed, snarling and growling until he focused himself, collected all his strength and with a powerful heave of his body slammed her down on her back again, catching her wrists and pressing them against the bed by her head as he thrust his hips forward and roughly, suddenly drove his hardened erection into her.

She groaned as he sank into her, then the sound turned into a purr as his hips met hers. "Ahh…not small…you weren't just boasting…" She breathed, then lunged up and kissed him, rolling her hips to encourage him and he smiled, bringing a hand down to grip her hip as he started snapping his hips in a rough, firm rhythm that had her making the most incredible sounds.

Purrs and growls, hisses and snarls, both hers and his own filled the room as they worked each others bodies, Natsu kissed her everywhere he could reach, driving harder and harder into her, his skin burning, flames starting to sprout and roll, she was heated, hot in places even to him, and she growled "Deeper…I need more.." she pleaded. And he pulled away, making her whimper until he drug her up, rolled her over to her hands and knees and grabbing her hips, pushing her shoulders down, he slammed back into her and she gasped.

After several minutes, and delighted at her ragged breathing moans and purrs, he lifted one of her legs, pulling it back around him and thrust harder, faster, until he felt her body tensing, her hot center clamping down on him. He dropped her leg, grasping her hair again, pulling her back and she came up, her back pressing against his chest as his arm came around her and he clenched his teeth, she snarled out her release and he couldn't resist it, being drug with her into his own, feeling himself spill into her and he bit her, sinking his teeth into her, her hot blood spilling into his mouth, her body milking him dry and he pulled his fangs out of her, licking over the bite as she hissed.

"No!...No!" She snarled, twisting and slamming him down on the bed to glare furiously down at him, golden scales covering her arms, long talons at his throat.

"You fool! I like you! I don't want to kill you!" She hissed and he was just too damn sated, too happy with what he'd done to care in that moment, reaching up and pulling her down to kiss her his move surprised her so much she didn't even resist, lips softening under his, scales receding, her hands back in his hair she pulled back, frowning at him, her eyes sad, almost frightened.

"You marked me…challenged me…Natsu…I really like you, you're a good person…I can't fight you, not like that…I can't…" He frowned, there were tears in her eyes, actual tears, and when he reached up to kiss her again, he smiled against her lips.

"I'll win Emi…I always win…I like you too…Gods so much…I want to love you…I want you to be mine and I want to be yours, my dragon wants you, so clear so strong tonight it's told me over and over to claim you…" He said, still happy, not understanding why she wasn't. They got along so well, enjoyed so many of the same things, she even liked to fucking fish!

"No! I've killed an S-class fire mage who tried…" She was crying now, and he frowned, his dragon even becoming upset, why was their woman sad? "I'm not just a Fire Mage Emi, I'm a Fire Dragon Slayer, the son of Igneel, brother to Rubystraza, I can and will beat you, claim you, and make you my mate." He started kissing her again, smiling wickedly, hardening again as he moved his body over hers "and after…we can go away for a while, be alone…" he purred, kissing her, dragging kisses down to her breasts, he hadn't bothered with them before but he wanted to now, this time he was going to take his time, enjoy his mate to bes delicious body.

"We can fuck and fish for a few weeks…I know a great spot…" He murmured against her skin. "Natsu…Gods…I want that…but you don't understand…I have killed a powerful mage that tried, I've killed two!...No…No….I'm so sorry…" she threw him from her, so strong in that moment he had no hope of stopping her and she was gone, whispered a spell and vanished in a flaring burning swirl of blinding light.


	39. Chapter 39 Fixing what was broken

Everyone outside looked up when light beamed out from the second floor windows of one of the bedrooms. Bickslow frowned "That's Emis room, the fucks she doing?" He said.

"Don't worry about it Bix, she's a grown ass woman, let her be." Laxus said, emerging from the water and grabbing one of the towels off the lounge next to Kaleb.

The Judgement mage was frowning, looking up at the house then heaved a sigh, shaking his head and standing. "Well, I'm turning in for the night, I've got a lot to get done tomarrow , Cristoff? Will you be allright?" He called. Cristoff was coming out of the water with Wendy smiling "Yeah, feeling better by the hour, though I think we'll turn in too, Wendy and the ladies are going shopping tomarrow and Dad had the Doctor coming back out to check on my progress."

"I imagine Lucy and Cobra will come in when they're ready, good night then." Kaleb stood and headed in, everyone but Lucy and Cobra close behind him.

Cobra was about overcome by everything, getting Lucy back, taking out the Prince, then Bosco. Something about the place really resonated with him, the fragrant waters that felt amazing on his skin, the colorful glowing plants that stretched out as far as the eye could see.

Sharing the experience with Lucy made it that much better too. They were laying half in the water, the warm waters lapping at their legs, just looking up at the stars or out over the rippling glowing expanse of the Grass Sea, occasionally sliding into each others arms and kissing languidly for long stretches when Lucy pulled up from a particularly long kiss.

She did it because she wanted to see where everyone was to see if she could get away with slipping a hand into Cobras swim trunks, but found that they were alone, everyone had gone inside.

She smirked down at Cobra, brazenly moving and straddling him, her hands doing more than just sliding into his trunks, she pushed them down his legs.

He was smiling back at her, hands deftly untying her bikini top then the bottoms, tossing both aside and then busying himself in the business of driving his mate wild with his attentions.

As Lucy eased herself down on him, moaning softly she smiled, giggling and biting her lip.

"I just realized…we're having sex on the beach….a favorite drink of mine and…ohhh…oh Gods…yes like that…and now a favorite activity…" She breathed, starting to ride him, his slow firm pulls on her hips not allowing her to just drop onto him roughly.

"I missed you, I was out of my mind without you." He said, thrusting hard up into her and then rolling them pushing her to her bak, lifting her legs and hooking her knees over his arms before driving downward into her, she groaned "fuck…Gods…Erik…" she babbled, fisting her hands in the sand and he started to languidly pull back.

"I'm yours Lucy…forever…and you're MINE, he slammed back into her and she gasped, he pounded into her then, right now it was more about claiming her again, feeling her come apart, shattering their bodies in pleasure than anything else and at the angle he had, her end was wildly careening toward her.

He felt it too, and knew he'd go with her, it didn't matter, they'd managed one quickie on the ship, now they were at Bickslows familys estate in Bosco for a couple of nights, he was going to have his mate as much as possible.

A short time later, spent, panting, they smirked at each other, running into the water to rinse off then streaking naked into the dark house carrying their wet swimsuits that were too covered with sand to dare put on, hoping they made it to their room unseen, closing the door behind them, Cobra tossed his suit to the floor, stalking his grinning mate toward the bathroom "Now, lets rinse the sand off…"

Xooooxxxxxxxoooooo

Arman stood inside the door of Emzadis room, looking at a crestfallen Fire Slayer with narrowed eyes.

"So Bix and Cristoff, I know they warned you about my daughter, they told me they were concerned about her being around you too much. Of my boys, those two have always been the most intuitive, so…tell me what happened, and keep in mind, you're in Bosco, I am a Boscan, and I know my daughter is quite sexually active." Arman said calmly.

Natsu heaved a sigh, relieved, talking to Emis father had been beyond talking to any of her brothers on his list of things he really didn't want to do. But, like he said, he was a Boscan, and this was Bosco…

"Well…we've been talking, spending a lot of time together, even sparred once, I beat her, and her fire tastes incredible, she smells amazing, is the most beautiful woman I've ever seen, my dragon wants her, told me tonight to take her as my mate and we started kissing in the water then Emi brought me in here and we…we had sex…then I bit her, put a first mark into her neck and she freaked out…I know she's had bad experiences, but she's never fought another Dragon Slayer, I know I can claim her, I know I can make her mine and I want her…" He said it all in a rush, nervous, upset, confused…

Arman heaved a sigh "She's killed two men, one she loved very deeply, the other…well, she didn't love him but she truly wanted to, hoped she would…if she likes you at all, of course you biting her, talking about mating with her would upset her…did you ask her before you did it?"

Natsu hung his head "No…I knew about all the trouble she's had, how she's struggled with what her dragon did, so I figured…well…"

Arman smiled faintly "Better to ask for forgiveness than ask for permission huh?"

Natsu stared at the mans shiny black shoes "Yeah…something like that….Look, Mr. Pradesh, I really can beat her, I know I can, I get why she's scared but she really hasn't fought other slayers, she doesn't appreciate the difference enough, please…tell me where I can find her…"

Arman looked at the young mage carefully, Bickslow had told him all about the situation with Natsu and Emzadi before they had even gotten aboard the Aisipal, adding, in spite of his objections with allowing Natsu to pursue his little sister, that Natsu was a "great guy" loyal, honest, devoted and really sweet when he wanted to be.

He reminded Arman somewhat of Emzadis first boyfriend, that had been a terrible string of events and a tragic loss. Still, while he understood his daughter and her reactions, Arman was the type of man who liked to believe in things, have faith, and this young mage had done some incredible things.

He doubted Emzadi knew much about Natsus accomplishments, his victories, but Arman knew.

"I am not sure where she has gone, Emzadi has a Solar Wind ability that allows her short range movement, I'm sure that's what she used, but I am not as familiar with her favorite places to go when troubled as her brothers are, if you want to find her, ask Cristoff or Bickslow where she might be. She usually went to one of them when she was troubled if she didn't come to me." Arman admitted.

Natsu nodded, standing and heading for the door. Arman stepped aside to let him through "Next time lad…talk to her, ask her before you proceed." He warned.

Natsu nodded "I don't have a choice from here sir, next time I get near her, if I start anything, we go right to the fighting…I can feel that…"

Leaving Emis fathers Natsu went to his room, he had to get into clothes, something he handled quickly, then he stood for a few minutes…at a loss. That she had run from him shocked him, he'd really felt like their connection wasn't one sided, like she had to feel it as much as he did.

The sex had been just…he groaned, turning and going back into the hallway to listen intently. No, their first time together had been too perfect, he'd heard her, felt her, it had been just as good for her, she was made for him, meant to be his.

Yes her fire was hot, it was one of the things he really liked about her, she'd sat on the airship the first day and they had talked while she had pulled off the melted buttons from his jacket and replaced them with others she promised would hold up better.

He sure meant to keep the jacket, singed as it was it smelt of her now, her fires scent deep in the fibers of the cloth.

She was fast, and she hit hard, but then, a lot of his opponents hit hard. No he couldn't beat Laxus, but he'd beaten God slayers, demons, hell he'd burned the stadium in Crocus and scorched the entire winning team of the games that year. He'd beaten dragons out of the sky, he could wrestle Emi down and claim her, he knew he could, even if he would be fighting her dragon, who he didn't doubt was tough as hell.

He calmed himself, pulled in the image he'd built, of him and Emi at his favorite fishing spot in the east forest, having hot, wonderful sex on the shore of the river up there while their fishing poles were trolling the water. She'd already shown him she had more precise control over her fire, and when she cooked with it…he could just imagine the spicy hint of her cinnamon flavor burned into the food.

The house wasn't quiet. He could hear Bickslow, Laxus, Gajeel…and Freed, downstairs, Cobra and Lucy were outside…he smirked a little, knowing immediately what they were up to, he was happy for his friend, Lucy had embraced becoming Cobra mate, and the couple had been very happy since mating. It was all he wanted.

He'd almost hoped Cristoff would be up but the man was asleep with Wendy in their room, still recovering, so that left him with Bickslow. At least Laxus was there, the older slayer had proven to be an unexpected ally.

Walking downstairs he found the other men in the kitchen Freed gathering up cards and grinning.

"I appreciate the donations gentleman, I plan on purchasing a new waistcoat tomarrow." Freed was saying under the disdainful looks of the others. Freed was thrilled with his winning streak, the women weren't the only ones looking forward to shopping tomarrow. Pelerno was the largest commerce hub on Earthland because of the airship port and shipyards.

Elluris, the finest coat and cloak maker in Earthland was based here, their best designers worked from this location and Freed was thrilled to be getting the chance to spend a day at the base of his favorite clothing maker.

"Yeah yeah, maybe, deal the cards Greenie." Gajeel snapped. Levy had given him a list of things she wanted from Pelerno, he'd handed it to Lucy, defeated almost as soon as he read through it and didn't even know what half the things were. All he knew for sure was it was going to cost them some jewel but after the last couple of months and all they had been through, whatever Levy wanted, he'd make sure she got.

Bickslow looked up at Natsu, narrowing his eyes. Erza had gone on to bed already, and he'd…tucked her in thoroughly before she'd gone to sleep, but he'd also seen that damn light, knew it was Emis little short range teleport, had a good idea where his sister was right now, he just wasn't sure WHY she had gone there. It wasn't like Emzadi to run from things.

He knew she was with Natsu, if the Fiery fucker had made her cry he was pretty sure he might pull his soul out and show it to him.

"What's up flamebrain?" Gajeel was the first to say anything, Bickslow was looking entirely too ready to jump on the Fire Slayer and the Iron Dragon had a good idea why considering Natsu reeked of sex and Emzadi at the moment, not that Bickslow knew that, but the Seith seemed to know something was off.

He glanced at Laxus, clearly the other slayer knew just like he did that Natsu and Emzadi had done the deed, even the soothing smell of the Grass Sea couldn't hide it.

"I need to find her." Natsu said softly, looking right at Bickslow. The Seiths eyes narrowed, and a faint green started overtaking the usual deep red wine color of his eyes.

"Now why would she bolt like she did Natsu? Since I know I said friendship was fine but just keep it that way…why would my sister, who has fucked up entire regiments of Rune Knights and melted a fucking island run from you?" He asked in a dangerous tone.

"Because I found out she's to be my mate…" Natsu started to reply quietly but Bickslows babies shot forward just a hint faster than he did and while they caught the slayer in the gut Bicklows fist caught him in the jaw and the combined force sent the slayer careening backwards right through the large glass doors that let out onto the back deck behind the kitchen and dining area, shattering the glass and ripping one door off its hinges to crash onto the deck with Natsu.

Laxus and Gajeel were up in an instant, grabbing the Seith to prevent him from going after the slayer further. Laxus had never, in all the years he and Bickslow had been friends, never had he seen the Seith use a purely physical attack, hell, even his babies had physically hit the slayer, the Seith had basically hit the man with all he had.

"She is NOT to be your damn mate Natsu! She just went through hell a couple of years ago because a fucking fire mage thought he was supposed to be her mate, he was fucking S-class Natsu! There was barely enough left of him to fucking bury! You know what that did to her?! To our family?!" Bickslow shouted, ripping himself free of Gajeel and Laxus, giving them both glares and holding his hands up in an unspoken promise not to attack the slayer further.

"You just don't think! I told you to let her be, just because your dragons dick got hard doesn't mean she's your fucking mate." He growled.

Natsu sat up, brushing glass from his vest and rubbing his jaw, he'd never thought the Seith mage could land a hit that hard with just his fist.

"It's not like that…it wasn't clear at first…but it was tonight…while we were swimming, I heard it…loud and clear…she's my mate." He said quietly, staying down, doing as little as possible hoping not to piss the Seith off more.

"Wait…it said it plain?" Gajeel said, glancing at Laxus who had narrowed his eyes and was standing close to Bickslow.

"Plain as day, she's all I think about, I know you and Cristoff said to stay away but I can't help it…I belong to her…she's meant to be mine." Natsu said.

"You told her that?" Laxus asked. Natsu nodded and Bickslow kicked a chair over "Fuck!" He snarled.

His babies flew to him then and he stormed through the shattered doors before Laxus and Gajeel could grab him, he stood over Natsu glaring down at him a moment before stepping onto his babies.

"I'm going to go get her, and if she's crying, I swear I'm coming back here and making you forget you ever saw her…." He glared, eyes flaring with magic "and you fucking know I can."

"Bix!" Laxus called but Bickslow was flying off fast, shooting up into the sky and Natsu scrambled to his feet trying to chase after him but Gajeel caught him and yanked him back.

"Enough Salamander! You can't track him in the air or run fast enough to keep up with him, and even if you could you don't want to keep pissing him off, I've watched the fucker make men forget they were potty trained, that wasn't an empty threat." Gajeel growled.

He'd barely gotten Natsu back on his feet and stepped away when a deep growl made all three of the slayers bristle.

"You fucking idiot…" Laxus' eyes widened as he turned to face Cristoff, who stood by the shattered doors in nothing but some sleep pants, eye glowing silver, dark blue scales starting to cover his hands and arms.

"That's ENOUGH!" A powerful voice almost shook the foundation they were standing over and all four of the Dragon Slayers ducked.

Arman stood a few feet away, having come out onto the deck through the study door. He met his sons enraged eyes firmly, walking toward him without a hint of fear or concern, radiating hard authority and Cristoffs eyes darkened…softening back into their usual dark blue color as the scales receded from the surface of his skin.

Arman looked over the assembled men eyeing Natsu and frowning, seeing the bruise coming in on the mans jaw. "Cristoff…heal your friends jaw." He said calmly.

Cristoff narrowed his eyes "I was planning to break it myself…" He growled. His father turned icen green eyes on him and the tall slayer lowered his head, immediately stepping forward, his hand taking on a silvery white glow as he reached for Natsu and the Fire Slayer, to his credit, didn't flinch away.

"Very good, now, go fetch Bickslow and Emzadi and bring them to the study, we are going to sit down and discuss this like human beings, not fight it out like Dragons. Go…NOW" He met Cristoffs eyes and the Lunar slayer glared at Natsu but nodded, muttering his incantation and vanishing.

Arman brushed some of the glass off Natsu, "Allright, since this involves all of you I won't tell you whether or not you should join us, I'll leave that decision to each of you. Come Natsu, I've got some of that 30 year scotch in the study Laxus if you'd like some, I understand Makarov means you to take on this guild one day, you, I think, should sit in on this."

With that the Ambassador turned and headed for the still open door to the study, Natsu on his heels.

"30 year scotch sounds damn good right now…" Gajeel said, Laxus smiled "Yeah, Freed, you coming?" He asked.

Freed was still sitting at the table in the kitchen. The rune mage rolled his eyes, shaking his head "Not if I don't have to, I'm going to bed if that's allright." He stood, gathering his winnings when Laxus waved to him and headed to the study with Gajeel.

Xoxoxoxoxoxo

Emzadi sat in the small grotto, looking out over the Sea, the fact she was naked really didn't trouble her much, she was still on her families estate and knew every part of it comfortably well, nobody would come out here, nobody would chance upon her, unless her brothers found out she was out here, then she might have some company but they had seen her in every state including this one.

She wasn't sure what to do. She really, very much liked Natsu. He was fun, lively, had a positive way about him, he made her happy, made her feel relaxed and comfortable, she liked his pink hair and his dark eyes.

She closed her eyes, letting her head tilt back, Natsu was a good man, she could feel it just radiate from him, even his wicked side was sweet. She'd taunted him on purpose, tried to bring out the dragon in him, wanted to see it, and she'd gotten glimpses but he held himself so firmly in check all the time, she really didn't know how strong he was or was not.

Her fire hadn't harmed him, that had been shocking, a roar half the strength of what he had stood up to in that field had vaporized her first boyfriend, her roars had turned many people into puffs of red tinted steam over the years.

It wasn't something she was proud of, the Solar power she used was ridiculous in its heat and that was why she controlled it like she did. But when her dragon took over, it didn't care about damage, it didn't pull punches, it killed her challenger without mercy and used her magic at its full potential.

She could feel it, the mark on her neck, even now she was pulled so strongly to go find him it made her heart hurt. She refused to rob the world of another good man. Natsu deserved to live a long happy life, find a woman who could go fishing with him, clean up after him and keep up with his sometimes ridiculous pace at life. A woman who could make babies with him, he was beautiful to watch with children, she'd seen him playing with some of the children at Peace Village.

She wanted children, she smiled crookedly, her heart lulling her into a sweet few moments imagining that, chasing after wild little pink haired children all day, having wild white hot sex with the Fire slayer all night.

She growled…it had been good, no…it had been great sex, he'd handled her, pinned her more than once and she had honestly put effort, all of it, into besting him on that bed, needing somehow to know he could get her down and he had. Still, he was wrestling with her, not her dragon, she'd wanted him to win, and even though she'd put all she could into fighting him, she knew somehow she'd held back in ways her dragon would not.

He'd been so happy about setting that mark into her, so certain he wanted her, just like the others.

It wasn't fair…she wanted to be happy, she loved being in love, she was a woman after all, a Dragon, she needed a mate, was not complete without one and she knew that but even as her dragon yearned for him, needled her to go back, she knew once the fight began, once the ritual was in motion, that same dragon would do all it could to kill him, and she wasn't a small weapon.

She grew more powerful every year, she trained relentlessly for control, precision, and even while she did that so she wouldn't harm others, wouldn't destroy things, she knew it boosted what the dragon had to use against a would-be mate.

He'd said he could take her, that he wasn't just a Fire Mage like the last man who had tried, he was more, and maybe that little bit more would make the difference?

But the risk, she couldn't bear standing over another dead lover, it would shatter her beyond repair, even her wonderful family wouldn't be able to help her pick up those pieces.

She pulled her knees to her chest, taking deep breaths of the soothing breeze off the Sea, she had missed it, being far from the Grass Sea for too long always bothered her.

"Knew you'd be here….shit Emi…you could have at least grabbed a shirt or something." The deep voice made her turn and she smiled up at Cristoff who looked around the sky "Bixy should be along soon, he left the house before me but yeah…so…come here." He held his arms out and she flew into them crying.

He shouldn't be using his magic yet, she felt bad, he should be asleep, resting, he'd only just gotten to where he could walk without help. Wendy wouldn't be happy.

As she cried into her brothers chest she knew Bickslow arrived before she felt him come up behind her and add himself to her comfort.

"Shit, he did make you cry, that's it man…he's not gonna remember how to walk when I get done with him…" Bickslow growled and Emi couldn't help but chuckle, her brother could do what he threatened, but was too big hearted to ever harm a guild mate, responsible for her tears or not.

"Give her your shirt Bix, she took off without clothes…again…I swear Emi, you've got some serious nudist vibe going on, you're too old for this, it was one thing when you threw off your diaper and streaked around when you were 3." Cristoff chuckled and all three of them laughed.

"Yeah…too much hotness going on now to do this crap." Bickslow agreed, pulling his shirt off and handing it to her, she wasn't a small woman but it still drowned her, reaching almost to mid thigh.

"So, Dad sent me to fetch you both back to the study, we're going to have one of his…discussions." They all three cringed.

"What happened Emi?" Bickslow asked, she frowned, avoiding Cristoffs knowing look, he already knew, there was no hiding how she smelled from him.

"I like him…a lot…and I wanted him…" She sighed, Bickslow made a face

"Shit….you fucked Dragneel?" He closed his eyes, shaking his head.

"I can have whoever I want Bickslow." Emi snapped and her brother met her eyes, frowning but nodding "Yeah, you can, you're a grown woman, you make your choices, but what's with running off if it's just some sex?" He asked.

Emi sighed, lifting her hair away from where it covered the mark on her neck.

Bickslow stiffened and Cristoff growled "I'll kill him…I don't' care what father does to me…" Cristoff snarled.

She put a hand on his arm. "I taunted him, I drove him to it…on purpose…I, I wanted to test him, see if he could handle me, he beat me in that sparing match…he bested me in my room tonight too…my dragon…it wants him, screams at me to make him mine…" She admitted "I couldn't help it…"

Cristoff stilled, staring at her wide eyed, Bickslow was frowning, glaring between them both.

"Man…fuck dragon souls and fuck all the messed up drama they cause…"He groaned.

Cristoff calmed, pulled Emi to him for another hug "Well then…that sort of ends the whole argument doesn't it?" He looked at Bickslow reaching a hand out and Bickslow pulled his babies in, wrapping an arm around them as his brother whispered out his spell to take them back to the house.

Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

Arman was sitting on his desk, Natsu seated to his right in the wing chair, Laxus and Gajeel to his right with Wendy sitting between them. His daughter in law had come looking for Cristoff as soon as she'd discovered him gone from their bed.

She was smiling gently at Natsu, she'd made her feelings known as soon as Laxus explained what had happened. Now they were just waiting for…

A soft flood of the scent of the night breeze and Sea washed over the room as the three mages appeared.

Arman had left the glass doors open, moonlight flooded into the room over the fine Minstrellan rug, he knew well how all of his childrens magics worked, just as Cristoff knew moonlight flooded the room when the doors were open.

Cristoff released Emi and moved toward one of the loveseats by the doors, moonlight hit it, and he was still recovering, so sitting in the seat worked two ways to calm him, the moon would reach him, and his mate could curl up in his lap with space to spare.

Wendy didn't even ask or hesitate, moving from her spot between the other slayers claiming her place by her mate.

Natsu started to get up to move to Emzadi but Bickslow shoved him back down into his seat.

"Sit your ass down Dragneel, you're not getting near her with that bite in her neck." He snarled. Laxus and Gajeel both stopped breathing, eyes flying wide, that little bit Natsu had left out.

Arman though didn't look surprised, holding a hand out to his daughter and guiding her to take the chair behind his desk since all she had on was Bickslows t-shirt.

"Allright, now that everyone is here let me list the facts and see if I have everything. Natsu and Emzadi have been forming a relationship in spite of warnings from my sons who should honestly have minded their own business and let their grown sister make her own choices. Tonight the pair…ah…consummated things and while doing so, Mr. Dragneel made a somewhat rash decision and before discussing things with my daughter, initiated the mating process for Dragon Slayers by biting her." He looked at Natsu, who had been watching Emzadi but looked up at him when he stopped talking and nodded.

Arman turned on the desk to look at his daughter who also nodded.

"Ok, so when she realized what had happened my daughter panicked and made a bunch of unfounded assumptions about whether or not Mr. Dragneel could survive the process with her and bolted…naked…again…off somewhere, really my dear, you've been doing that since you were a toddler, I'm not sure how I can impress on you strong enough you need to stop the behavior." Arman sighed, giving his daughter a pained look and she had the grace to blush and look at the desk muttering "Sorry Daddy."

"Now, I came across this right after Emzadi fled and told Mr. Dragneel you two should speak and to find you he'd need to get Bickslow or Cristoff to show him where you were since my sons always seemed to know where my daughter would hide when she was upset. It was when Mr. Dragneel," He pointedly stared Bickslow down at this point

" upon my suggestion, approached Bickslow that my beloved, if impulsive, son, hit knocking him through my lovely, expensive, etched glass doors, ripping one right out of frame I might add, and then ran off after my daughter, am I right so far?" He demanded. In unison, Bickslow and Emzadi "Yes Father." Both hanging their heads.

"Ok, so, after some conversation with Cristoff, we come to this point. Now, I know a fair bit about these things, the mating of Dragon Slayers, Cristoffs dragon Nurem was a fine being, wonderful, delightful creature who was always enchanting to have tea with and we went over these things in some detail, since she wanted to be certain my son, who she loved and had adopted as her own before I'd found him and made him my son as well, and his sister, were both set up with parents that could teach and guide them…so that is what I am going to do. Live up to my role as your father, and Guide you all, my own children and all of you who I consider family, with a large dangerous blunt object if I must."

He leveled a hard look on each person in the room, even Laxus and Gajeel cringed. "Natsus dragon soul has declared Emzadi is his mate, that's not a whim, not a rash thing, not impulsive, a dragon soul is never wrong about these things. Emzadi..I assume yours has done the same?" He turned a hard look on his daughter who looked miserable, biting her full lower lip "Y…yes it has…" she finally admitted.

Natsu made a noise, grinning like a fool until Arman looked at him, and the grin fell instantly and he ducked his head.

"Well, since yours has never made a peep about any man before Natsu, I'm going to say the decision has been made by the dragons inside you two. Nurem was clear about this. So, you are meant to be mated and Mr. Dragneel is confident he can best you in the ritual fight you must have but, given how past events unfolded, I am inclined to let your brothers have the say of when this will happen." Arman said.

"WHAT?!" Emzadi, Natsu, Cristoff, Bickslow, even Laxus and Gajeel all said the same things at the same time. The only one sitting looking a little smug was Wendy. When Arman had told her what was going on, this had been her suggestion.

"Yes, Cristoff, Bickslow, Vander when he gets back from the errand I sent him on, and Kaleb will work with Mr. Dragneel, run him through his paces, and when they agree he's ready to face Emzadi in the ritual, well, I'll make sure we have a safe location ready for that. You'll all need to clear your schedules of course, I know Fairy Tail had a vacation planned and Kaleb was due in Crocus this week but I'm sure you can reschedule everything, I can have the Consulates transport take Freed home if he would like to go, but you are all welcome to stay, and Laxus, Gajeel, if your mates would like to come here there is a Boscan airship in Crocus right now scheduled to return to Pelerno leaving tomarrow, I can arrange for them to be aboard it." He offered,

Gajeel and Laxus both grinned "Yes…PLEASE"

"Well then, that's how we will proceed then, I'll just send my assistant some orders, notify Farron he'll need to remain in Atla for another couple of weeks for me and Mr. Dragneel, hopefully, I'll be welcoming you to the family soon. We'll sit and discuss contracts tomarrow some time. So, off to bed, get some sleep children." The smiling man ordered and everyone rose to leave, Natsu hanging back, and Arman giving Bickslow and Cristoff hard looks to make them leave it alone and go.

Emzadi sat still at the desk, Natsu now standing by Arman looking longingly at her. She frowned "You can't come closer, you can't touch me or get close or you will trigger my dragon Natsu…" She said, she'd cried herself out on her brothers, she was just tired now, her heart swinging between elation and dread.

"I won't trigger it if I'm careful… I watched Cristoff tiptoe around Wendy for a whole year so he could train her until she was really ready for him to be her mate, I paid attention, I may not seem like it…but I can be careful Emi. Especially if it means I get to be near you." He said.

Arman smiled at the young man, liking him more and more as he watched him. He saw his daughters eyes soften, tears filling them as Natsu walked around the desk and knelt in front of her, keeping his eyes off of hers then holding his arms out and she jumped into them.

"I'm sorry I didn't talk about this with you first, I was just so happy to hear my dragon agreed with the rest of me I acted….I swear though…I can do this Emi, please don't be afraid…don't be sad…I'll study up on the Boscan weddings huh? Probably should…" He said quietly.

Emzadi laughed then "You really don't know how to ask for permission for things do you? You know you have to ask and I have to say yes!" She laughed.

He grinned "Would you?" He asked, she smiled at him "Mates first Fire Slayer, then we can talk about more." She replied, and she stood, he let her go and she hugged her father before leaving the room still giggling to herself.

"You will, just so you know." Arman said and Natsu was standing and looked at him curiously.

"Will what sir?" He asked.

"You will marry her once you are mated, as I said…we'll discuss contracts tomarrow, bearing in mind I am her father, and I wrote the contracts that keep the kingdoms trade venues open, the contracts that allied Fiore to Bosco, and I even drafted the surrender for Seven that their provisionary government should be reviewing soon. You are now promised to her, and if I see you even glance at another woman between now and your wedding day, I'll make sure your punishments are befitting of a Dragon Slayers endurance for pain." He smiled, and stood, yawning and looking at his pocket watch "Gracious look at the time. I'll see you in this study tomarrow at 10…no…11, it really is late. Goodnight Mr. Dragneel."

Xoxoxoxooooxoxoxoxoxoxo

The following day everyone except Kaleb decided to stay at the estate and lounge on the beach. Levy, Emma and Cana would all be arriving, along with Ruby who was just beyond done being handled by non-dragon folks and had started snapping and kissing at people irritably. The most surprising addition to it all was Lisanna. Makarov had a long talk with Arman about her and the Ambassador then sat down and had a long talk with Vander, Kaleb and Laxus and the young woman would be on the ship with others arriving late that night from Fiore.

Kaleb was relieved when his father got him out of the scheduled duty for Princess Kurino, and once White Sea was aware their Guild Master was back in country at the capital, Thane was scrambling with all of the various things his Master had to attend to so the pair went into the city to the Guilds branch there so Kaleb could get work done.

Natsu spent hours with Arman, who was determined his potential son-in-law not only agreed to, but fully understood what a promise contract was, how a union with his daughter would change his life, and all of the minute details associated with unifying two people when one of them was from the Pradesh family.

So after the Grass Sea had lit up and the moon was well into the sky, Arman, Laxus, Gajeel and Kaleb left for the Sky Port to pick everyone up.

Wendy was walking from the house to the back deck, knowing Cristoff had gone to soak in the hot waters of the bath there and smiled to herself. Her mate was in his swim shorts, snug dark blue ones that hugged his body and only came down to the top of his thighs stretched out on his back along the edge of the bath. Arms up beneath his head, moonlight washing over him.

Her throat tightened, mouth going a little dry as her eyes skimmed over every bit of more than six feet worth of male Dragon Slayer. She'd seen him "moonbathe" before, basking in the root of his magic. The doctor had told him to soak in it as much as he could and so he was.

She ached for him, it had only been a couple of days since they had left Seven, a day aboard the ship and all of today, he was still recovering, she knew it, and he dealt with nightmares, while he could stop them in others he could do little for himself so he was left with what she and the doctor could do for him.

His body was healed, getting stronger quickly, today he had been swimming and they had walked along the beach for a while, he told her about growing up at the estate as they walked.

He still held her, kissed her, his body responded to her like it always had, but he jerked away from her touches sometimes when she came at him suddenly, and he'd been hesitant to let her work on all of his bruising, doing it himself. She knew it wasn't an issue of him doubting her abilities, she could feel what he felt, the bond left him open that way.

They hadn't had sex since before being abducted, and she wasn't in a rush for it, she knew he needed time and that was fine with her, but her dragon was hungry for him, like it always was, and there was an urgency in it to reclaim him after he'd smelled of other women. There was no betrayal, sadness, anger, frustration she had not been able to protect what was hers, what was precious to her, but even the dragon felt no betrayal, no anger of any kind toward him.

Just wanting him, needing him. The moon shone on the water that still clung to his skin, and he always looked faintly brighter, his aura denser under moonlight. She missed him, missed their play, their lovemaking. She knew he would get through it, that he would come back to her completely, it felt like their bond was stronger than it had ever been now.

But in this beautiful place, watching Lucy and Cobra who were just perpetually touching, kissing, openly making out at times before sneaking off for extended periods, then Bickslow and Erza, who were endlessly teasing each other, playing, Bickslow using any excuse to hold her, touch her.

Cristoff was usually that way, so wonderfully affectionate, demonstrative and teasing, she'd never realized how much she enjoyed that until now when he was withdrawn, quiet. Last night he'd left without even waking her, she knew why, understood the circumstances of him leaving their bed suddenly, but still, usually, he would kiss her, nuzzle into her neck and hair before he went anywhere, left for his morning workouts or even just went to the kitchen to make coffee. Something small she knew, and probably nothing, he just had never left her asleep in bed without letting her know he had left.

She licked her lips and went and sat beside him on the deck frowning when he flinched away from her touch when she put her hand on his hip. He frowned too. "I'm sorry love….I was meditating, you surprised me." He told her, it was a weak excuse, he knew it too, it was mostly true, he really had been meditating, focusing the surplus magic he was drinking in by laying mostly unclothed in the moonlight.

He was channeling it through his body, purifying again, though there had been no corruption or darkness of any kind in him the last two times he'd done it, he still felt it eating at the edges of him and he wanted it purged.

He could ask Bickslow, but he was honestly ashamed. He knew he was neglecting his mate too, she needed him, and he honestly needed her, but the ritual he needed he wasn't sure Wendy could do.

She'd already said she felt no anger, there was no betrayal, he dragon adored him, was only angry at her for not protecting him, as if that should ever have to be her job.

He was the stronger of the two of them by far still, yet he'd been unable to fully fight what happened to him. He knew the manacles had cut his magic off completely, he couldn't even push the holy light that he'd been gifted with. They forced the drugs into him, collaring him to that table so they could be poured into his mouth then his mouth was taped shut until he swallowed.

Then the injections, every time he was taken to that bedroom…

He suppressed a shudder. He'd been with too many women for even him to count, had served Princess Kurino so well when called to do so, he'd become one of her favorites and she had even put in a marriage offer for him with his father.

It had been two days and nights, but it had just been sex, unwanted, a lot of it nightmarishly painful, but he'd been through more painful romps with the Princess, she'd left him bleeding and battered as bad or worse than those women, that "Prince" had. He'd never been through so much at once before, with no rest, no time between except the time it took to move him from one place to the other.

He'd also never been loaded with drugs, potions, had succubi spells cast one on top of another, he'd even endured Succubi before, but not on that level. It was all a hideous nightmarish blur, and Wendy had been part of it.

He remembered her crying, he tears falling, her growls, snarls, struggles, seeing her injected with drugs to make her more compliant, so they could force her hands onto his body to try and get a usable response out of him. Anything they could do trying to collect him, they tried so many things he couldn't remember them all, wasn't even conscious for half of them but somehow it all had taken its toll, remembered or not by his conscious mind, his body knew what he'd been through.

His heart, his soul knew, and knew Wendy had suffered right along with him and it had tortured him further that she was. Even when she wasn't in the work room with him she could hear her screams, her roars and snarls of protest and he couldn't protect her from it, no matter how hard he tried to block it out, tried to detach himself from his body, the potions, the spells just wouldn't let him reach that.

Nuryev had even taunted him about it, the Queen had too "You're driving your mate insane Slayer, just cum, cum for the concubine, or cum for my mother and we'll put you back in the cell with your mate, let you comfort her, let your mind calm." Nuryev had whispered to him.

"Maybe I'll just bring her in now, that's next you know, as awful and messy as it will be, I can just strip your pretty mate down and put you inside her, use you to rape her while I have my fun too, you'll cum for her and I can just take my time gathering it all from her to put in a concubine, you don't want me to have to do that do you? Once I collect what I need that way, well, we'll just see if she can't produce Dragon slayer children for me to punish you, I won't impregnate her if you cooperate, but if you force me to the next level, make me start having to do that, I will, I won't just use your sister once we catch her." He'd said quietly.

The drugs, the way he'd said everything, the spells the man could cast to alter how Cristoffs mind processed things, he couldn't control Cristoff, didn't even dare to try, but he could alter things, twist them, make him have waking nightmares and walk him through them while the endless parade of women worked on his body.

He pushed himself up then, pulled Wendy against him as he sat up, kissing her, breathing in deeply the sweet combination of her and the steaming water from the sea beside them.

He wasn't there, that place was gone, charred rubble now, Nuryev, his aunt and mother were dead, every woman that had touched him, every servant guard and doctor, all of them were dead.

He was safe, at the home where he had grown up, surrounded by comforting familiar things and people he loved and cherished who loved him, had fought for him, killed for him Wendy and Lucy.

"I love you…" He breathed, and his dragon pressed in, pushed his thoughts aside, and the smell of his mates tears made him wince, open his eyes and pull back to look at her, delving into their bond and smiling when he just found need, want, happiness at being held and kissed by him.

He pulled her to her feet with him, into the house and to their room. They could greet the others in the morning, he'd soaked up more than enough moonlight, now he needed to bask in Wendys attention, let her bask in his.

She was beyond eager, trembling with need, want, hoping he wouldn't recoil, praying he didn't stop or just climb into the bed and want to cuddle. She would, she'd accept that without complaint but Gods above she needed her mate, needed intimacy with him as badly as she needed air.

He pulled her onto the bed with him knelt with her at its center and removed the little bikini, his eyes were hooded, but she felt his desire, though her own was so overwhelming it almost prevented her from feeling anything else.

Her shaking hands pushed his swim shorts down and she bit her lip finding him hard, when she touched him he hissed, but instead of twitching away as he'd been doing he moved into her hands.

"Wendy…I need you….I need you to reclaim me, I know you don't blame me, I know the dragons don't either, but I need it, I need you to own me…I need you to take my body…." He closed his eyes, brow furrowing, pain on his face "take my body from everything in my head…make me, all of me, yours again…"

It all got clear to her then, her dragon flowing into action inside her, joining with her, maybe more than it ever had to do this for him.

She pushed him back, not rough, but firm to the bed, dragging his shorta away from his legs and moving over him, kissing over his legs, his hips, dragging her tongue over the wolf on his right before placing open mouthed, sucking kisses all over him, up and down his length until he was moaning, until his hips bucked up into her touch.

Slowly nipping, kissing, sucking, licking over every part of him. She'd not done this much before, usually he didn't give her the time, losing patience, taking control, but while he almost whined several times at her slow, drawn out process of reclaiming him, making every inch of him hers again, he left control in her hands.

It was the headiest feeling she'd ever experienced with him, he needed her, her strength, was relying on it more than he ever had, he was trusting her to fix him, to heal what had been so hurt and it flooded her heart with a bittersweet bliss.

When she finally straddled him, grasped him and sank down on his hardened length there were tears sliding from his eyes. Neither one of them could speak, too overwhelmed to manage it. How much this meant, how much they loved each other, it was all equal, balanced, he would never be the stronger one again, everything had been leveled, and it was perfect.

Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Laxus stood by Kaleb and Gajeel, watching the airship dock, impatience was just eating at him.

It hadn't been long, it was a little staggering to think all that had happened, all they had been through, had taken up less than a week. So he'd held his mate, slept in her arms less than a week ago, it just felt like so much longer.

Gajeel was shifting his weight, impatience radiating from him as badly as Laxus was feeling it himself. Separation from their mates even knowing they were safe had taken a toll, neither one had enjoyed, maybe that was why he'd found it so easy to kill that Sevenese bitch when they'd found her in her room. Gajeel had dealt happily with her manservant, the guy had been a pretty strong mage, the room had been heavily damaged as Laxus had gone to the womans bedside, glared coldly down into her wide eyes, eyes that realized she couldn't move, couldn't speak, the stink of fear had radiated off of her then.

He wasn't a killer on the scale of Cobra, Gajeel or, as now was abundantly clear from all the dead guards and servants that littered the halls, Vander. But he'd killed before. Only when he had to. While she couldn't fight back, couldn't do anything but stare in terror at him, he'd known how necessary her death was, for the safety of his guild, his family, his mate, his entire country, this woman had to die.

"I'm Laxus, The Lightning Dragon Slayer from Fairy Tail in Fiore, you've tortured my friends, my kin, so I wanted you to know who was going to kill you before you die. I'm not making this quick either…" He growled and as Gajeel finished the manservant, lightning had danced over the body of Yuvenia, sister of the Queen, and ended her.

The two men had looked at each other, no words neded before they had left the room to find the others, both wanting to fight something still, neither disappointed when a couple of guards stepped up from the stair well they were headed to next, that would take them to the Laboratory.

What he had done there had changed him a little, fed a part of him that probably shouldn't have been fed, and somewhere, deep in him, he knew Emma would fix that, reverse the toll taken.

It was something Gajeel knew well, he stood next to Laxus sensing his friends impatience, not missing the occasional twitches of electricity that would spark here and there on the man.

Gajeel was a dark killer long before he had met Levy, bloods smell was something he knew well. He already knew the dark predator in him, the ruthless side he carried was something Levy kept at bay.

When she wasn't around it was easier for him to reach that part of himself, easier to use the viciousness. He could kill without remorse, he'd done it too much not to have that ability, but he knew there was a cost, that every time he indulged that part of himself it would try to take over the man he was now, Levys man.

Only she could balance him and keep him balanced, so he was anxious to have her in his arms, to get back to the estate and to the bedroom they would share there, where he could lose himself in her, find his balance again in her arms, get all the way back to the man he wanted to be, wished he could be all the time, but the world just hadn't been letting that happen a lot lately.

He had fresh blood on his hands, the kills had been necessary, not about power at all, just about protecting what was precious, but they were still kills. He'd even danced in and out of the shadows a few times while he fought, it was odd, but watching Vander doing it had made him think to.

He'd never seen anyone, not himself, not Rogue, nobody use the shadows like Bickslows brother did. The man was clothed in them, used weapons made from them, flipped in and out of sight, melted and then appeared with them. They obeyed him too, bent to his will and fighting near him Gajeel had felt the mans influence in the shadows, the voices, the whispers, the tingling icy touch of them was all lessened around Vander, it was like he suppressed the vile things that lived in the shadows, drove them back yet kept shadow at his fingertips and could use it free of the usual sinister things attached to them.

He had no idea how the man had done that, or what sort of magic he used, but fact he knew how to kill with brutal, merciless precision was evident everywhere. For every one he took down he could see Vander take 10 or more, his efficiency in ending lives was staggering.

Yet Gajeel was more sensitive than most to the true dark within shadows, evil, and that just wasn't present in Bicklsows brother, though it seemed it should have been with his mastery and almost constant use of shadows. He'd have to ask about it, maybe sit and talk with Vander, the young man seemed pretty open about damn near anything, much like the rest of his family seemed to be.

Gajeel liked them, hadn't met one yet he felt any unease or discomfort around. That spoke volumes to him, he'd long ago learned to trust his instincts.

A flash of blue, the almost overwhelming flood of joy, love, tinted sweetly with Levys particular brand of lust and desire washed over him moments before she was leaping into his arms, kissing the breath out of him. Any thought that wasn't of her gone in an instant.

Kalen he saw was almost taken down, Cana was bigger than Levy or Emma. The Boscan Guild Master staggered a couple paces back as Cana jumped into his arms, her arms and legs wrapping around him as he was slammed back painfully into the thankfully tall railing for the elevated walkway they were on. Arman chuckled lightly, watching his son and friends each getting overwhelmed by the women that loved them.

He was anxious to meet each of them, but his eyes searched carefully for the fourth "guest" he was expecting. The unhappy white haired woman walked up and stopped a short distance from the three couples, searching for a way past them, not finding one and then sulking and looking annoyed.

"So I take it that's her?" He asked of Vander. His youngest son made a disgusted face "Yeah…that's her." He grunted and Arman kept his smile passive because of his sons clear displeasure.

Well, dropping her into the mix we're putting together to get Natsu ready would certainly throw her into the deep side of things." Arman stated. His youngest was beyond unhappy about being saddled with the Straus bitch again. He'd thought his inserting himself into everything, doing all he had, would have swayed his older brother/Guild Master a little more but Kaleb was getting to where he was immune to the acts of heroism, strength, power, dedication etc Vander could deliver when he wanted to to get himself out of trouble.

This time Kaleb was keeping his nuts over the fire and he hadn't been able to twist his way out of it. At this rate he'd have to start actually being more careful and put effort into staying out of trouble. That would suck, and nowhere near as nicely as Lessia the house maid had a couple hours ago when he'd returned from his errands for their father.

The King debriefed him, but had no extended missions for him at the moment, so he was stuck. With his Guildmaster barring him from returning to White Sea or picking up something in the capital and nothing from the Crown to save him, he now stood contemplating the pretty little take over mage.

Take over magic had originated in Bosco, the Royard family had developed it back when Bosco had been little more than a battleground for their neighbors to fight on, back before the airships had been developed, and the Guelar family had taken power. King Aceus Guelar had, in the last 36 years of his reign, made Bosco thrive even better than his father and grandfather had.

He somehow doubted Lisanna knew that, and had plans to make sure she learned about her magic in more ways than one. He was hoping she fucking hated studying, because if she did, Gods was he going to make her do it.

Funny that the entitled brat had been handed over to a Shadowquip mage more adept at espionage and eliminating his governments more difficult problems than anything else. There was a reason there was a steel cross on a black shield, the symbol for the Steel Congress tattooed on the back of his right shoulder, he had more commendations and accolades from them than his own Guild. Maybe he could teach Fairy Tails little Bitch Princess how to do some of the things he did.

He almost snorted at the thought though, imagining her getting blood under her finger nails? Yeah, she'd probably faint.

She saw him then and her eyes widened, the typical flash of appreciation he was used to seeing on womens faces when they looked at him came along with a blush before the seething distaste. He smirked. _Good, be pissed you little brat, if I'm stuck with you for real, I'm taking it all out on your ass_ , he thought bitterly.

Lisanna fell in with everyone as they left the sky port. While she was honestly excited, thrilled even to be in the Capital of Bosco, about to stay with a prestigious Ambassador on some estate with Levy, Cana, Emma and the other women she really did admire and count as friends, she was seething about the reason.

She hated Vander. Yes, he was gorgeous, all of the damn Pradesh brothers including Bickslow were. With his wavy black hair streaked by time in the sun and eyes the color of burgundy wine. His body, Gods…tall, broad shouldered but lithe, at least six feet of hard trained and toned muscle he moved like a cat, light on his feet, nimble like Bickslow but more deadly, an air of practiced predatory darkness in him that the light hearted Seith didn't have.

Vander didn't use gymnastic and acrobatic abilities to stay at a distance from combat, he used it to insert himself into the heart of it, get in close to his targets so it was hard to see what he was doing because you were stunned by his proximity. He'd done it to her over and over. The alluring scent of him was fleeting, he masked it with his magic when he fought but when he wasn't he smelled like some delicious rare masculine cologne of some kind. Not strongly, she'd known men who wore too much, Macao tended to do that, so did the Master, no Vanders was always subtle but distinct. She wanted to know what he wore, because Evergreen had even commented on how good he smelled and she would love to get some of whatever made Vander smell like that for Elfman for Christmas.

It was on her list of things she wanted to do while the top though was spending time with Natsu. She was really happy she'd finally be able to spend time with her love again. Sure he said he didn't love her, wasn't interested in her, but that was only because the bond they'd shared as children had been severed by her time in Edolas.

When she'd returned at first she'd thought he was in love with Lucy, or Lucy was with him and she'd hated Lucy for that, but then Lucy had mated with Cobra, proving she wasn't romantically interested in Natsu very clearly, and Lisanna had been thrilled because the woman had been too busy with missions with her lover and Natsu had been left with a loose end Lisanna had tried to tie herself into tightly.

It was why she didn't care about her magic, about anything, she was focused, the most important thing was winning Natsu back, and seeing him fulfill the promise he'd made to marry her when they were children. She'd known even then, with certainty, that she wanted him as her husband, that he was meant to be hers. She'd dreamed endlessly about pink haired babies and taking care of him and Happy, looking after their home.

She didn't need magic to be an amazing wife and mother. She just needed Natsu so all her lifelong dreams could come true.

The whole thing with Vander was just in her way. She shouldn't have attacked him with the scorpion soul, she knew that now. It was wrong to risk anothers life, but he'd made her so angry, so frustrated with his endless teasing and treating her like she was weak.

She wasn't weak, she was a powerful mage, she just didn't chose to bother with that part of herself because she had goals that meant more to her.

When it risked her membership in Fairy Tail though, and Makarov, Mira and even Elfman had told her it did, that if she didn't work, practice, take her magic seriously she'd be out of the guild and Mira and Elf had both told her they would be done with her if she let that happen. Then she realized she couldn't fight it, had to go along with it, show Vander and the others what she could do. She'd thought the scorpion thing would do that, but her methods had been wrong and had backfired horribly.

The only thing that had saved her from being suspended from the very guild was Vander was not a member of Fairy Tail and had said he didn't want that done because of what she'd done to him, or tried to do.

Now Mira and Elf and even the Master didn't trust her, everyone looked at her with disappointment on their faces and she shuddered to think that this all might have set things back with Natsu.

So she kept her eyes down, watching Vander ass in the tight jeans he was wearing and she smiled faintly, she hated him, and he may be an absolute jerk, but he was sexy as hell and fun to look at even if she did want to strangle him. Natsu, she reminded herself, was better looking, now if only she could get him into tight jeans and a clingy dark maroon shirt like Vander was wearing, Nastu always wore loose fitting pants, Gods he probably would look amazing if he dressed like any of the men walking ahead of her.

Even Gajeel was in jeans and a sleeveless white shirt. Kaleb in black slacks and blue shirts, Laxus also in Black pants with his standard dark purple silk button down.

She'd have to get Natsu to dress better but first thing was first. She would train, show up Vander and prove she was better than anyone gave her credit for, then she would win Natsu back, then she would get him to start dressing better.

Satisfied with her plans she was still wearing a smile as she climbed into the large SE car with the others.

xoxoooxoxoxoxoxoxxoxoxoxxoxoxoxoxoxoxooooxxxxxxx

A/N. Moment to acknowledge this stories vocal supporters here:

MoonbeamMadness: You rock. If anyone wants to see Bickslow and some of his family, including Arman and Vander in another setting? Read Of Barren Design, seriously. MoonbeamMadness is one of MY favorite authors on this site, she handles Gajevy so well and has an OC I'm in love with, Long live Alma!

WhyX: Love your comments, they're insightful and help. Sorry Cobra decided to go more prolonged torture than gore bath, it just seemed to fit the situation.

Roses: Yeah LD is a little darker than FD was. My next chapter piece is on the drawing board, I'll hit the reset button with everyone and it will be lighter, though if you've read my other work, you know I can't make things too easy on our beloved FT gang or Bixys family.

J.D. I admit...I cackled a little writing that, like the others, I appreciate your feedback.

An Amber: No need to worry, I always complete my stories, I don't leave them hanging unfinished or not updated for long. It's why I usually only work on one piece at a time.

Twolanterns: Emzadi is getting more attention here, I had "Kissing Chocolate" and "Embracing Thunder" going at the same time I was finishing up with FD, I realize I cheated her and Rogue there, I plan to make it up to both of them in subsequent works.

Ashatan: Natsu is so not done fighting for Emi.

: Hehe, Natsu is doing his best.

Kairi: CoLu shall continue, I like writing the acid tonged Poison Slayer too much not to keep them up.

Western: Cana will have her challenges with Kaleb, though he'll try to prevent them, the man is busy and devoted to his work.

Swallow: Cristoff has a struggle ahead of him, but when has Wendy ever let anyone down?

Wordsaremyspells: Yeah, I wanted a creepy set of villains, bwahahaha

Harley Quin: Yeah, the royal family are messed up power crazed nastiness. Inbreeding among royalty, always a bad thing.

Seafoam: I'm so glad you like my version of Natsu. He has his moments, I mean...he's Natsu, but I always saw him as hiding some hefty thinking ability and just not chosing to tap it often.

To my guests, THANK YOU, any and every author who put pen to paper or finger to keyboard will tell you feedback helps. I guage my storys by it, am I getting my ideas across, does the plot resonate, are the characters engaging everyone the way I want to relate, I get all of that through the feedback in reviews and PMs. Don't worry...Chapter LD is turning 40 and I'm already working on that chapter, until then...DESNA


	40. Chapter 40 Fighting Fantasy, Joy

Cobra frowned slightly, taking a seat across from Arman. He'd asked to talk to Bickslows father after talking with Bickslow and Cristoff earlier in the day and now he wasn't sure if he was right to, maybe he should have talked to Lucy first, but they had discussed this, well, not this specifically, but the general subject at least several times now.

"So Erik, how can I help you? I hope you're comfortable, I'm very pleased to have you and Lucy here, Bickslow thinks the world of you, so does Cristoff." He said smiling.

Cobra smiled, feeling that little tightness in his chest he got anymore whenever his guild family got all lovely with him. Damn their fluffy huggy asses.

"Yeah, me talking to you about this was Bixys idea, mans my best friend, so I figured…well." He sighed, he had no idea how to do this. Talking to people was Lucys talent not his.

Unless he was twisting information out of them or threatening someone, then he definitely was in his fucking element.

"He did huh? Well, I know you're a straight forward man, so just tell me what I can help you with." Arman said, smiling again. He really did like Erik, the man had been through hell, Bickslow and Cristoff had told him some of the mans history, he'd been talking with them about something concerning the Poison slayer since they'd arrived, something that was actually Bickslows idea so he was hoping maybe his son had brought it up to Erik already.

"Well, Lucy has talked a lot about how you Married Cristoff and Wendy, seems all the women liked how the Boscan Wedding works and…anyway, Lucy and I are mated and she wants to get married now." He said awkwardly,

Arman nodded, grinning "Wonderful! If you would like me to perform the ceremony, we can put something together here at the estate easily." He said brightly. This wasn't what he and Bickslow had discussed but still happy news, and after all the things happening the last year, some happiness was long past due.

Erik drew a breath "Well….we might…I…well thing thing is I don't have a surname, see…I was born a slave, my dad died before I was born and my mom died while I was still in fucking diapers. So I don't have a name to give to Lucy and she really, with all she went through and still goes through sometimes because of her name, doesn't want to keep hers, so I don't know what to do about that and Bickslow said I should talk to you."

There it was, a little embarrassing, he hated opening up private shit with people, but damn it, it was for Lucy. He didn't give a shit if they got married but she did.

Arman smiled "I can help you with that, in fact, Bickslow and I have talked this over with the whole family. Let me adopt you Erik." He said, his tone calm, firm. Cobra hated he couldn't read the Ambassador, had no clue why he couldn't, sensed the man was a mage, there was magic involved, but he had no idea what it was, looking at him though, every sense told him the man meant it, was serious.

"I'm too old." He said, certain that was true, he was an adult, in his 20s somewhere.

Arman chuckled "No, you are not too old Erik, and I mean this, I would be so proud to call you my son, to have Lucy as a daughter. Bickslow, Cristoff, Kaleb, Vander, I even spoke with my oldest, Farron, who is handling some things for me in Atla at the moment. Emzadi, her sister Xally, the whole family has agreed, it was even Bickslows idea in the first place, he brought it up many months ago while you were still living in his house, heavens, more than a year now that I think about it. I should have approached you sooner, things have been so hectic but really, no excuse. Know though we, the whole family, we want you." Arman told him.

Cobra sat stunned. Him? A part of a family, with a father…and not just any father, he'd watched first hand how this man loved his children, admired him, hell even wanted to emulate him.

What it would mean was staggering to him.

"You would have a home, brothers and sisters, a place to always come to if there was ever trouble. I believe in my heart you are Boscan dear boy, you seem to thrive in the Grass Seas waters. It is fitting you should have an old Boscan name. I won't ask for a decision now but here." He pulled out some papers and handed them to him and Erik blinked, an adoption form, already completely filled out except where he would sign…

"I want you and Lucy to have my name Erik, to be part of my family, so talk to her, think about it. If it isn't what you want, we can select a surname and I can have the Boscan population administer issue you papers as a Boscan and Fioran citizen. It's completely up to you." Arman said quietly.

Cobra nodded, taking the forms "I…I'll go talk to Lucy…" He said quietly and Arman nodded, watching him go, hoping the man chose in favor of the Pradesh family because he didn't doubt Erik would be an amazing son and brother.

Cobra went upstairs, finding Lucy soaking in the tub, she smiled at him, eyeing the papers he was carrying.

"What's that?" She asked and he sat on the edge of the tub, handed them to her.

Wiping her hands on a towel on the edge of the tub she took them and started reading, eyes getting bigger and bigger.

"You…Arman wants to…adopt you?!" She breathed.

"Yeah…I told him I wanted to marry you but I didn't have a name to give you, and I don't, I told you that, I don't have a surname. Born a slave and hell, they just gave me a number in prison." He snorted bitterly.

Lucy looked up at him, lip shaking "Erik Pradesh…sounds sexy as hell to me…" She said softly. He smiled down at her, relief flowing through him. "Lucy Pradesh sounds pretty sexy too." He smiled.

"So then…" She handed the papers back to him. He grinned "I wanted to ask you first before I said anything…" He admitted, honestly, he was over the moon about this, just the idea of having a real family, and one like Bickslows….Gods…Bix would be his brother, his actual fucking little brother.

"Go, sign it you brute, holy shit Bickslow will be my brother in law…" Lucy groaned, dropping under the water and Erik laughed, signing each form and hurrying back down to Armans office.

It had been one of Vanders errands that day, delivering those adoption papers to the administrator by hand, and by the time Arman got home that night with everyone, it was done, the approval on his desk in his study along with Erik Pradesh' new papers, Boscan citizenship, Fioran, and smiling as he sat and went over everything before turning in for the night, he found the realtor had handled things for him in Magnolia, the Title of the house on Fairybrook had been updated, the mortgage paid in full and now listed along with a couple of other things, including partial ownership of the estate as the property of Erik Pradesh. His new son didn't know it yet, but he wouldn't be worrying too badly about money anymore, and Arman had already put his aid to work getting Eriks records sealed, his probationary terms to Fairy Tail wiped away so he was fully a free man.

Setting all of the paperwork into a folder he marked as "Erik" he put it into the drawer with Bickslows and grinned. He had a new son! He felt like celebrating, but it was past midnight and his new son was already in bed with his mate. He would go over it all along with the Wedding plans for the couple in the morning.

For now, he smiled as Lissia and Zenia appeared, he would let them rub away his tensions so he could sleep…

Xoxoxxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Natsu picked himself up, groaning. They were at the practice rings at the Pelerno branch for the Guild White Sea.

Across from him, Bickslow stood to his left and Cobra stood to his right, his job was to take either one of them down, and so far he hadn't even managed to touch one of them.

He rubbed his arm where it stung a little from one of Cobras poison attacks. "Am I really facing having you as a brother in law?" Natsu asked

"Paperworks all done ashbreath, my last name is Pradesh and Emi is my sister now so I'm duty bound to beat your ass into shape." Cobra replied.

The whole thing made Natsus head spin. Overnight things had changed all around him. That morning he and Cobra had sat at Arman Predesh' desk both doing basically the same thing, joining the Pradesh family, though granted, Cobra had done it a hell of a lot faster and easier than Natsu was.

"Don't sweat it Natsu, Van will still be younger than you, hell, so will Cristoff so you won't just have older brothers beating on you like Cobra and I will be." Bickslow grinned.

"Yeah and if Bix ever grows a pair and takes the plunge with the Amazon then you'll have her for a sister!" Cobra laughed.

Bix and Natsu both gave him dark looks for very different reasons.

In the ring to the left of where Natsu was he could see Lisanna with Kaleb and Vander. He wasn't happy to see her, he'd already heard her make a fuss about wanting to talk to him, He was grateful they hadn't let her interrupt his work out, hoped they would keep the young woman busy.

Lisanna was frustrated, Kaleb had woken her up way to early and, instead of getting to go into the city shopping with the other women, something she had been looking forward to, he had brought her to a waiting car that Vander was driving, pushed her inside and sat next to her.

"You're not in Bosco to play around or have fun, you're here to train, if you refuse to do it, we'll just send you back to Magnolia." Kaleb had told her coldly.

They arrived at the branch for White Sea before the sun was even up and she was delighted to find Natsu there, in a ring with Bickslow and Cobra and the magic barriers that kept the practice inside from destroying the building and those surrounding it when mages let loose to stretch themselves were lighting up so much she'd barely been able to see what was happening, but she knew Natsu was fighting both of the other men at the same time.

They'd taken her to the ring beside the one Natsu was in, which was perfect because she could watch better from there but then Vander had hit her in the back of the head with a training towel.

"The next thing that hits you will be a dagger or a sword Princess so pay attention." He snapped.

She'd whirled to face him, angry and glared, but hadn't gotten anything out, a little taken aback as what looked like black smoke swirled around him and the simple jeans and t-shirt he'd been wearing were replaced by some skin tight black pants made out of some stretchy shiny material beneath leather straps that laid strategically in standard places where he might be struck and held daggers, their glinting hilts catching the light as he moved. Knee high black leather boots and a skin tight black leather sleeveless jerkin. He was tightening straps on lkack leather bracers then tied a black strap around his forehead she thought to hold his hair back but then, when he finished with the bracers, she watched him pull it down over his eyes.

He was going to fight her blindfolded?!

"Now, this isn't going to be a pleasant spar for you, while Vander is only to use his hands and not his weapons he is going to use his actual magic instead of just equipping and fighting you, what I want to see Lisanna is a take over that can actually fight, not a strip tease, not something cute or pretty, you pull out any of those three things and Vander is allowed to leave a mark on you." Kaleb was saying.

She watched Vander smirk then, it was uncanny, looking at the tall mage, he looked completely deadly right now, and for some reason, the blindfold only added to that.

"But I get the advantage of him being blindfolded." She observed, trying to think of a good take over.

Kaleb smiled, shaking his head "Oh he can still see just fine Lisanna, the cover is to protect you from what his eyes can do when he's using his magic. He's a Shadowquip, remember that, when he takes you to the library later so you can study you're allowed to pull information on that, since Vander is your trainer and partner while you're in Bosco it wouldn't hurt for you to understand what he is. Keep your guard up, he can work fine at range too, prefers guns." Kaleb replied and Lisanna blinked.

The blindfold was for her protection?!

Kaleb stepped to the side then, waving his hand and a high padded chair and table rose up from the sand, he sat down and pulled out a lacrima tablet, going to work.

Vander pulled on a pair of black fingerless gloves then and smiled. "Ready Princess?" He asked, she glared at him, shifting into her tiger takeover. She did it without thought, it was the one she used most often and Kaleb groaned "Strip tease, too much bare skin, nothing to benefit you but the claws and you're inhibited in movement with your hands because your using paws, Gods woman, do you have any strategic sense at all?" Kaleb asked.

"Bruise time.." Vander smirked and he took one running step toward her and there was a flash of black smoke and he was behind her, he hit her square in the back, so hard her head snapped back and her feet came off the sand and she flew about twenty feet to land on her face with the wind knocked out of her.

"Vander…point out the weaknesses of her take over choice." Kaleb called and before Lisanna was on her feet, still coughing and trying to get a breath into her, he'd grabbed her and lifted her to her feet, spinning her to face him then swiping the edged backs of his gloves across her bare midriff, thighs, even slapping across her mostly exposed breasts before sending her flying again to hit the containment wall and fall to the floor.

"Shit….you know, I feel like I'm fighting a stuffed doll instead of an actual living person. There's no challenge, she's not even trying." Vander sighed, walking over to Kaleb and leaning on the table. Kaleb slapped his hand away when he tried to reach for the drink that had somehow appeared on the table.

"Guide…teach…make an effort other than just beating her ass around. You're allowed to leave marks and cause pain when she makes a stupid choice but you could keep yourself entertained by helping her come up with better choices." Kaleb offered.

Vander groaned, looking at Lisanna, who had picked herself up and shifted, this time into a Vulcan. A pink one, but still a Vulcan. It was her best take over, she'd planned to save it but right now, she wanted to hurt Vander more than ever wanted anything.

"Ok, aside from the ridiculous color choice that will make you a glaring target on any field of battle if the enemy doesn't piss themselves laughing at you first that is…decent choice…" Vander smirked again, walking toward her and she rushed him, planning to punch the smirk off his face but he vanished, a soft wisp of black smoke and he was gone and her knee was kicked in.

She went down to one knee roaring and swinging around, hands outstretched, curled so there were claws in play but he dodged her easily.

For almost ten minutes she raged, the Vulcan take over had good stamina and power to burn but she had never done anything with it really, never practiced it, or learned how to fight with it so the best she could do was try to land a hit, knowing if she could because of the sheer power behind it, she was likely to leave a bruise on him this time.

She didn't land a hit though, she didn't even glance him. After a few minutes he went from defensive to offensive and Lisanna knew she was going to be covered in bruises.

He backed off when she fell to her knees panting, roaring in frustration.

"Of everything you've showed me, so far, this take over is the only one I would ever expect to see in actual combat, the rest is stupid showboating bullshit that could get you killed, and you would so deserve your death for being insane enough to think any of it held any tactical benefit for combat." Vander told her.

He watched her as she changed back to her normal form, kneeling panting, bruises showing on her usually flawless pale skin. Her blue eyes narrowed and burning in anger toward him and he wanted to just kick sand in her face and leave her there but he wasn't done with her, not by a long shot.

He didn't offer to help her up, stayed at a distance and just watched her struggle to her feet. Flashes from the containment fields on the ring Natsu and his brothers were in came and he turned amused eyes on that whole spectacle. Natsu was learning how to dodge rapid precision ranged attacks, something he knew his sister was fucking deadly with, her "Solar Strike" beams could burn through lead and she could shoot the wings off flies with it. Bickslow wasn't being nice about it either.

They really couldn't be, Emzadis dragon would have no mercy, so Natsus training had to get him to where he could get to her without getting himself killed in the process.

"They're going to hurt him!" Lisanna protested, on her feet and looking in horrified anger at what Bickslow and Cobra were doing. Natsu was actually doing pretty good, he was injured, but Cristoff was here as a "just in case" and would set him right before they called it a day.

He smiled maliciously, so far he hadn't bothered with her favorite delusion, and he glanced at Kaleb who sighed and shrugged at him "I have some work in the office, you handle her." He said. Kaleb had agreed to help with this at Makarov and his fathers request, personally, he felt Lisanna didn't belong in a wizard guild at all, but Vander having to deal with her would be good for his younger brother, who needed work on how he dealt with people anyway.

He couldn't always just knock them unconscious, beat them, poison them or kill them when they annoyed him. His usual methods for dealing with difficult women wouldn't work here either, Lisanna hated him. Vanders good looks and charm were useless on the young woman. So Kaleb left Vander with a smile, heading to his office to attack one of the many stacks of paperwork he had waiting for him.

"It's none of your business, come on, you need to hit the books." Vander prompted. Lisanna glared at him. "It absolutely IS my business jerk. He's my boyfriend!" She snarled.

Vander snorted "Yeah in your twisted little reality maybe but not in this world. Natsu doesn't want anything to do with you kitty cat."

Lisannas eyes flashed and she marched up to Vander "You're wrong! He and I have been close since we were children! He promised to marry me one day! We're going to work things out once everything settles down!" She almost screamed this, shoving him, or trying to. When she put her hands against his chest and pushed he didn't budge an inch and grabbed one of her wrists and twisted it painfully taking her to her knees and she gasped, pain shooting up her arm.

"Never touch me and you listen carefully, Bitch. Natsu Dragneel is promised to MY sister. Now, unless you've got some weird bizarre fringe magic that is going to tell Natsus Dragon Soul it was wrong when it chose Emzadi as his mate and convince it that it wants you after he's already rejected you a few hundred times by now you're going to get that idea out of your delusional self centered cesspool you call a brain or I'll fucking beat it out of you, or…" He laughed darkly "I'll let you talk to Emzadi about it."

Lisanna gaped at him, her mind just not able to comprehend what he'd said.

"Promised? What the fuck does that even mean he's "promised" to your sister?!" She demanded, his boot came up and he kicked he away from him as he released her wrist, making her stagger back and fall on her ass.

"Boscan law girlie. He's promised his intention to marry her and already fucking bit her, she's got a mark on her damn neck he just put there night before last without even asking her first. He's not up to fighting her for the right to be her mate yet, but since she likes him, our family and some of your guild mates are helping him train so he won't die trying to claim her as his mate like the last two guys did." He replied.

He had to admit, watching her brain short on this was entertaining. Nobody, not even any of the women, even Lucy, wanted to be the one to tell her about this, and since Kaleb had walked off, it had fallen in Vanders lap, he wasn't minding it so much at the moment. Sometimes his dark side took thrills in the suffering of others, it made him very good at what he did that his sense of humor was always in the lead though, if he took his work too seriously he'd be one of the darkest mages out there.

"That's impossible, Natsu wouldn't claim someone other than me…he promised me, so he was "promised" to me first!" She cried.

Vander scoffed "There's that self-centered bullshit again, World doesn't revolve around you Kitty cat. He fucked my sister, and while she was enjoying that the bastard set a mark in her neck and declared his intentions in front of everybody to make her his mate, even sat down with my Father and said he wanted to marry her in a Boscan ceremony, the paperwork is all done, Natsus signatures on everything with your guildmates as witnesses to the whole thing…well…except the fucking, they apparently did that in private."

Lisanna shook her head, looking dazed "No…that's impossible…she must have tricked him…" She said unhappily. There was no way. Natsu had barely met Emzadi a week ago if that, hell Lisanna had met her at all yet, had just heard there was a female Dragon Slayer with the mages from White Sea that was Cristoff and Bickslows sister.

She was supposed to be beautiful, the men who had seen her all seemed to think so but that wouldn't matter, Natsu wasn't hung up on things like that. He also wouldn't fall for someone that fast, Natsu was lovable, and he trusted his instincts about people, liked or disliked them quickly, but no, she didn't believe this.

"You're lying, you're just trying to get me to stop trying to see Natsu, to pay attention to this training." She accused.

Vander rolled his eyes "No, not lying. Look, I'm not going to argue with you, you're delusional, so self-centered you can't see past your own fucking face, that's clear." He replied.

"I am not self-centered you asshole!" She snarled at him, but she didn't lunge at him, even though he was standing seemingly relaxed with one leg bent, his weight on the other, she'd hit him with all her weight a moment ago and hadn't even budged him a fraction of an inch.

"Well I wouldn't really expect you to admit it. But honey, you're the absolute worst kind of self-absorbed basket case." He chuckled "You actually don't see anything you do as dark and evil, you think your happiness is the only thing that matters, and that if you're happy, everyone else will be and the world will just fall into perfect rainbows and fluffy bunnies as long as everyone around you expects nothing from you but does everything you want them to, including love, want or care about you. You've got your happiness all wrapped up in Dragneel to the point your world revolves around him and you can't see why he doesn't just feel the same way because you're too fucking consumed by yourself to even imagine maybe he doesn't give a rats ass about your happiness, maybe he wants to think and feel and love who HE wants to and doesn't give a shit what you want. You know, like any normal person."

Lisanna stared at him, dazed. "You're wrong." She whispered.

He laughed at her. "You wish I was, but I promise you, I'm not wrong. Maybe that man gave a shit years ago, but the way you've tried to ram what you want down his throat for however long you've been stalking and hounding the poor guy has pretty much killed anything he might have felt for you. Then you run around acting like a bitch, getting his friends hurt, showing him even more what a self-absorbed cunt you are and I'll be honest, if the guy doesn't just hate you by now it's only because he's a lot more patient than most people would be. I would have fucking killed you in your sleep by now." He admitted.

Really the whole mess with this woman was shocking, why her guild put up with her was beyond him, and if he'd just fucking been maybe a little less horny, and stopped at fucking those twins, turned down the older woman who pulled him into a storage closet after he'd explained to the red faced bastard that was the father of the twins that they had pretty much jumped him, which they honestly HAD, and not let the woman get her tongue down his throat and his pants down without so much as a hello, so he could find out she was the wife of the stammering pissed off fat bastard he'd just walked away from…he sighed inwardly.

It wasn't his fault Fiorans were all repressed prudes, or his fault that they let old men who couldn't get an erection if their lives depended on it marry young beauties and leave them all deprived and frustrated to the point they just got panting and hot and bothered over any young healthy decent looking man they came across. No, and it was war, he was there because Fiore was fighting to keep their independence, helping them damn it.

He could have let the Berserker kill the twins, the damn thing would have joyfully raped them both to death and then gone into full blood lust and killed everyone on the estate, but no, who had killed it and saved all their damn lives? Vander had, and the twins had climbed all over him the moment they were able to stand, they were all over him, begging him for it and there he was, healthy, Boscan, hadn't been laid in damn near a week because he'd been hunting Berserkers.

Why the hell would he stand there in the middle of a fucking Invasion and ask them if they were maybe planning to get engaged soon? And he'd never seen a married woman risk even coming on strong to any man but her husband, Boscans didn't do that shit.

So yes, he'd fucked the woman in the closet, not that she'd seemed willing to let him argue about it much, there she was, couldn't have been 30, maybe 31, already a mother of two young women about to be engaged it seemed, he never would have pegged the beautiful woman who drug him into that closet as the wife of the balding fat nasty old man he'd just left.

So yes, he'd fucked her, fucked her until she screamed too, which was how he got caught. What a mess that had been. The old bastards guards didn't stand a chance against him, he hadn't killed any of them, thank the Gods because he would have gotten into even more trouble if he had.

Still, here he stood, with some half crazed self-absorbed delusional bitch, trying to get her straightened around since her own guild and family couldn't seem to do it.

"No…NO!" She yelled at him and stood, storming for the door from the ring and he smirked, following her. She ran to the door to the ring Natsu and his brothers were in and he stopped her before she could open it, grabbing a wrist and twisting it up behind her, spinning her so she faced him and pulling her against himself.

"You will NOT interfere with the training of other wizards, barging in on him could cause him to make a mistake and get hurt, or did you not think about that? Were you just being the self absorbed Bitch I keep telling you you are and only thinking about what YOU wanted again?" He snarled.

Lisanna looked up at him in stunned fury.

The black sash was still tied over his eyes, so looking into them wasn't possible but clearly, like Kaleb had said, he saw just fine.

"I need to talk to him!" She said angrily, tears in her eyes now she was so confused and angry and frustrated.

"Maybe later, but not now, you WILL leave him the fuck alone while he is training. You are due to be in the library where you WILL study your magic for the next 4 hours. Now…" He looked past her and waved over a tall brutish looking woman with a shaved head except one spot on the back from which a braided ponytail hung down past her waist.

"Bonnie here will see to it you have a shower and get cleaned up so you don't stink up the library, Tarren, the man who runs the study halls here is a brutal son of a bitch about that shit. Kaleb has books selected and waiting for you and Tarren will have your assignments for the day, so get moving." He shoved her to Bonnie, who smiled at him "Babysitting hmmm? What will you be giving me for this favor then hmm Vander?"

Lisanna could do nothing, the womans large hands had her arms, she was taller, bigger than Vander, hell, she might have been bigger than Laxus!

Vander didn't seem the least bit put off by the womans impressive size though, he smirked at her "Anything you want Bon Bon." He replied and the woman bellowed out a laugh that almost hurt Lisannas ears.

"Then after she's cleaned up and delivered to Tarren, how about you meet me in one of the study rooms?" Her voice was gravelly, feminine, but a sort of terrifying version of it and Lisanna was wide eyed, gaping at her "partner" who not only didn't seem put off by the womans beefy, gruffness, they were…he was…she almost couldn't believe what she was seeing and hearing.

"Fair deal…no toys, I saw what you did to Bastian." He laughed and Bonnie grinned reaching out and slapping his ass as he walked away from them and he grinned at her but kept going. Leaving Lisanna in the meat hooks of the massive woman who was openly leering after the Shadowquip Mage as he walked across the hall to lean over the desk by the front door and talk to the man there.

"Allright girl, lets get you cleaned up and to Tarren, I've got a sexy Shadow Mage to fuck now thanks to you and I've been wanting him to scratch my itch for months." She was grinning, and horrified, Lisanna was drug into the womens locker room.

Less than 30 minutes later Lisanna was roughly deposited, freshly showered in a seat in the library with a stack of books and Bonnie was grabbing her "partner" who had been chatting with Tarren and drug him into one of the small private study rooms.

"Do NOT break any of the furniture!" Tarren growled at them.

Vander clenched his teeth, head hitting the wall as Bonnie kissed him fiercely. Such a pleasant price to pay for being able to hand Lisanna off even for just a few minutes. The big Atlan woman easily outweighed him, was about 3-4 inches taller too, he'd bet she could break Laxus in half with her bare hands.

He'd seen her off and on, at this location and the Guilds home in White Sea, she'd half approached him before and he'd been interested, large women didn't intimidate him, nothing really did where women were concerned. She'd fled Atla with his fathers help a few years ago and had taken to life with White Sea with gusto.

Beck, the seven foot tall beast master mage was one of her usual men and it wouldn't surprise him if the two settled down together one day, but Beck was still having fun single, and clearly so was Bonnie.

Why the big Atlan had chosen the name "Bonnie" was beyond him, maybe some attempt at claiming dainty feminine traits she at least held mentally if no other way. Her Atlan name had been too odd and she'd hated it, he still didn't know what it was, he'd only ever known her as Bonnie, and had taken to calling her "Bon Bon" because she was such a far cry from a dainty little delicate puff pastry it was fucking funny.

"I've never fucked a Shadowquip mage before…" Bonnie breathed, roughly dragging her tongue up his chest. He'd already delighted her by showing her he could make his clothes melt away from his body in threads of black shadow.

He smiled, kissing her back "You might never again…unless you want to keep helping me with the little Fairy Tail Mage." He said against her mouth.

She wrapped a leg around him, grasping his erection hard enough he grunted but he held his smile, never let them see you wince.

"You mean if I help you again with the weepy brat I get to fuck you again?" She asked, eyeing him hungrily. He nodded and she laughed, "I like helping.." She said.

She gasped when he snapped his hips forward, thrusting hard into her 'Good…because I like fucking…" he responded and she laughed again, delighted, wrenching him around to slam him down on the floor, the chair behind the table in the small room had its back rest snapped in half when Vanders shoulder caught it because there wasn't quite enough room from what she did…so much for not breaking furniture he mused.

He had to focus then, Bonnie was a big powerful woman, and she meant to have a good time with him and he meant to give it to her, hopefully with as few injuries as possible involved.

It was a little over an hour later he emerged.

Lisanna looking up from the book she was reading to stare at him. His blindfold was gone, and his hair was maybe a little tousled, but other than that, he was back in his jeans and t-shirt and walked past her, wine colored eyes swiftly assessing what she was doing and seeming to accept it before he went to Tarrens desk and laid some jewel in front of the man.

"Sorry about the chair Tarren, they really should expand the size of those rooms, we have some bigger guild members these days." He said quietly.

Tarren frowned at him "They weren't built to have sex in Vander, though that's what half the damn guild uses them for because they have silence seals all over them." The man sighed.

"Exactly, gotta be able to relax so you can focus to study." Vander grinned, then walked back to Lisanna. "I'll come get you when your study period is over for lunch. After that, you'll be sparring with a new opponent while I try to coach you." He told her.

She frowned but nodded and he left her. The assignment amounted to a search through the books provided to her to answer questions on the sheet Kaleb had left. The material was actually interesting to her, about the history of her Take Over magic and the man who had developed it.

She hadn't known Take Over Magic began in Bosco, developed by a man named Royard centuries ago, or that it had so many interesting possibilities. There were predators here in Bosco she could learn to Take Over that would give her incredible speed, and fighting abilities.

She really was into what she was reading too, didn't even notice the huge woman Bonnie come out of the study room and approach her until the woman slapped her on the back driving the wind out of her. "I like you girl, because of you I've got a myself into Vander Pradesh' pants, something I've been wanting a while. Study hard…I'll be seeing you again."

Another breath stealing slap to the back and Lisanna grit her teeth, turning her attention back to the book in front of her. She understood Boscan culture, Mira had warned her about 300 times about it all before she left, but that beast wasn't Boscan, had to be from somewhere else where freakishly powerful women lived.

She could barely believe Vander had just gone into that room not 30 feet from where she was sitting and had sex with that hulking beast of a woman just because she had stood and watched, something that had made Lisanna very uncomfortable, while Lisanna took a shower and put on a fresh set of the workout clothes provided by the guilds gym.

She finished the worksheet, and angrily saw a pattern. The first ten questions were about her own magic, then there were 5 that focused around Dragon Slayers and how they chose and claimed their mates, specifically focused on the fats that the Dragon Slayer often had no choice, there was absolutely no way that wasn't life threatening for them to deny their inner dragons decisions, and once that first bite was in place on a female dragon slayer, the next time Natsu got around his chosen mate and acted anything but submissive, they would fight until either he claimed her, or, she killed him.

Included with her research materials were some Boscan articles on changes to Boscan law regarding how a Female Dragon Slayer was not held accountable for killing any man who challenged her in a mating ritual.

The last two questions left her very intrigued, above them Kaleb had written "Because you should always know your opponent", and it interested her to the point she checked out the book Kaleb had provided for her along with the two on Take Over magic.

They actually got her reading about Vanders magic, which was considered "Lost" since there hadn't been a Shadow Quip born in over 200 years. It was magic he'd been born with, that he'd had to learn to master, it could not be learned or mastered unless you were born with it. It worked in a way like Erzas re-quip except his armor and weapons were made of shadows he altered to serve him.

She knew from things she had caught in various conversations that Vander was a master with daggers and swords, but according to the book, bows and even guns could be created too, projectile weapons ammunition was composed of shadow like everything else the Shadow Quip used but he could, at will, make those shadows deadly just by altering how he formed them, poisons, even curses could be set into them.

The books said Shadow Quips tended to be easy on their magic stores, once they reached certain levels they could go all day because they used their magic lightly.

" _The Shadowquip, once seasoned, almost sip their magic while in combat, using less in hand to hand close combat than they do if they work as ranged. They are famous close cobatents, able to shift their position at will, vanish and re-appear drop solidity and let things pass right through their bodies without injuring them and even reach into opponents through their eyes, ears or open mouths and have weapons become solid from the inside of the opponent resulting in lethal and indefensible attacks in their arsenal. They are favored heavily as spies, body guards and soldiers for this. Though not as famed for their ranged abilities, Shadowquips are uniquely adept in the work due to their Shadowsight ability giving them the ability to hone their vision over distances as long as shadows are present along the line of sight to incredible precision. Shadowsight is also used in close combat, the Shadowquip can lace dangerous cursed shadows right through the eyes of an enemy into their minds and ruin their ability to think or fight back. For this reason, most Shadowquips will blindfold themselves for close combat if they expect the fight may agitate or frustrate them and they don't want to harm their opponent. For sparring, a Shadowquip should always be blindfolded, but it will not, in anyway effect their ability to see, it will only prevent their Shadowsight from harming their opponent_."

That section made the whole morning make sense better. Vander had known she was likely to aggravate him since he hated her as much as she hated him, so he'd blindfolded himself. How was she supposed to fight him though if he could just become smoke and let her attacks pass right through him?!

It angered her enough she wanted to ask Kaleb how, it seemed terribly unfair.

She was reading through one of the Take over books, looking for anything that might help her fight something like Vander when the man in question suddenly sat next to her book on the table and she was looking at denim stretched over a hard muscled ass and thigh.

Looking up she met amused wine colored eyes and the typical cocky smile that never failed to piss her off.

"Lunch time Princess, lets get to it, I'm starving." He prompted and she sighed, gathering the books she had checked out and slipping them into the bag Tarren had given her to carry them in.

"I wasn't aware Kaleb had given you homework." He observed as they left the library.

"He did. Did you really have sex with that huge woman?" She asked. He eyed her, not missing her annoyed expression.

"Yes, why? Jealous?" He asked lightly, holding the door at the end of the hall for her and she walked through it out into the main hall. It was like most Guild Halls, a bar that served food and drinks, tables, chairs, request boards, there were stairs and even an elevator, she knew the place went up several stories, it was in the city after all, if you wanted space you built up not out.

She glared at him "No, more repulsed." She replied. "She looked more Vulcan than I did this morning." She told him lightly, looking over the specials and smiling. Most things were written in common. Guilds were always international in how they handled things, using the common language instead of native made it so members from other countries could relax and have all of the same benefits native born members did, just like Fairy Tail.

"Maybe, but Bonnie is a hell of a lot more woman than the pink monstrosity you were." Vander returned quietly and Lisanna just glared at him.

She ordered her lunch and turned to get a table, leaving Vander to place his order and getting herself seated.

When Vander joined her he brought her drink, she frowned realizing she'd walked away without waiting for it, she knew better. She'd just wanted to get away from the smirking jerk.

Now he sat across from her with a tall mug of something she was sure was alcoholic, dark red eyes scanning the guild hall calmly.

"So why pink? why all the childish bullshit at all? did you ever take your magic seriously?" His tone wasn't taunting, he was serious and she frowned at him.

"I got all of those take overs before I got sucked into Edolas and lost all contact with my magic. Back then I was a child and made childish choices I guess. I liked the color pink, I still do." She replied coldly.

"Fair enough, but you've been back for years, why not progress? Why not bring your magic forward with the rest of you?" He asked. She narrowed her eyes.

"It wasn't important to me." She replied.

"Because you were stalking Dragneel." He said flatly.

"I wasn't stalking him! He's my friend!" She snapped.

The barmaid brought over their food and Vander grinned at her "Thanks Essa."

"Let me know if you need anything else." Essa replied, winking at him before returning to the bar.

"Pursuing a man who has already told you to stop doing so, following him around and forcing your company on him is stalking, harassment…creepy as fuck. People have paid me, large sums in fact, to take out people like you. People who refuse to take no for an answer, who won't even listen when authority figures like Guild Masters and older siblings tell them to stop." Vander said.

Lisanna glared "You won't drop it will you? You just won't listen to my side."

"So far all I've heard of your side is bat shit crazy stuff about a man who doesn't have feelings for you being your boyfriend and some "promise" you coaxed out of him when you two were barely out of diapers as if something said that long ago meant a fucking thing in the here and now. Tell me your side Lisanna, and please, don't lie and tell me he's your boyfriend, I've talked with the man, can and will talk to him again in the near future, he is not now nor has he ever been your damn boyfriend as far as he's concerned." Vander said. Taking a bite out of his sandwich and sitting forward in his seat, apparently so he could listen.

Lisanna frowned, but figured she had nothing to lose so told him everything. How she and Natsu had been friends, how she had been the first person in the guild to really be nice to him when he joined as a child. How they had built a little hut, raised Happy, his promise to her. Then Edolas, and being away and having to make herself fit in there, finally getting settled, accepting magic was not hers anymore and building a new life and getting happy again, then her Fairy Tail from Earthland came, the battles that ensued that she admitted she only witnessed, didn't really participate in.

Her return to Fairy Tail to find the boy she'd loved a man who seemed in love with another woman. Trying to live with that and finally getting to where she sort of was until Lucy mated with Cobra and Natsu was clearly not in love with her and she suddenly felt so powerfully driven to get him back, felt it was destiny stepping in.

She admitted Natsu telling her he wasn't interested in her that way, didn't want to date her or be romantic with her, she even admitted to ruining jobs, putting Gray and Erza in danger because she was trying to get Natsus interest, stir feelings in him any way she could for her.

She was happy right up until Bickslow had yelled at her, and she blamed Bickslow having a problem with her for what had happened after that.

"I wasn't going to do that again, it didn't work, Natsu just got mad at me because Gray and Era were hurt so I already knew I couldn't keep trying things like that. I was trying to think of what to do next but then your brother had his fit and the whole damn guild sided with him." She said bitterly.

"And why would they do that?" Vander asked calmly. He'd said little the whole time, had just listened mostly, his expression calm and interested, not judgmental, even when she'd said what she'd done to get her guildmates hurt.

"I have no idea. I told everybody I didn't mean for the others to get hurt, that I wouldn't do it again. I did call Erza a bossy bitch though…I shouldn't have said that, Mira slapped me…" She sighed.

"Insulting someone who was in the infirmary with injuries they got protecting you, yeah, not a wise choice there and considering my brother has a thing for the woman? Yeah, I'd say he had every right to get pissed at you for getting her hurt." Vander said plainly and she sneered at him.

He sighed. "You don't get it huh? I'm not a head doctor, hell, I'm not even your Guildmate though I'd like to get over the hate thing and be your friend some how if you can stop acting nuts. Lets try to get you a new Take Over huh? I was going to have you spar with Bonnie, but I don't think that will help you until you have a real combat worthy Take Over to use. What do you say?" He asked.

Lisanna blinked at him, he wanted to be a friend? Hard to imagine ever seeing him as anything but the heartless asshole who took sadistic pleasure in knocking her to the ground and crushing her dreams.

"Ok?" She gave him an untrusting look that he laughed off, pulling her to her feet and waving for her to follow him. They stopped at the door on their way out and he left message for Bonnie they wouldn't be sparing before he took her outside into the City.

Xoxoxoxoxoxooxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoo

"It's not that funny." Lisanna frowned, Vander was leaning against a tree cackling like a maniac.

She heaved a sigh and tried again to transform back out of her new Take Over. When she first accumulated a new animal soul it sometimes took a little while before she could transform out of it.

In this case, she had taken over a creature that had fascinated her as soon as Vander had showed them to her at the Zoo in Pelerno. About 7 feet tall, biped reptile with long sharp teeth, and dagger like talons on their front claws and on their large feet. Long tails with three rows of spines down its back, the creature could run blindingly fast, was eagle eyed with sharp hearing and a keen nose, had barbs on its heavy long powerful tail and they could fucking breathe fire.

Vander had leaned on the rail overlooking the magically sealed enclosure the beasts were in "THAT is a combat ready Take Over subject." He told her.

So, she had done it, taken over the largest of the group which turned out to be the alpha female and had promptly, standing next to Vander, turned into a Phaze Racer.

Problem was, the zoo keeper had stepped out, and all he'd seen was a loose predatory, deadly beast standing lose out of its enclosure and he'd shot her with a tranquilizer.

She'd been unconscious for over an hour while Vander had explained to frantic zoo staff that she was a take over mage and had just copied the spirit of one of their Racers. It had been hard for him, he'd kept dissolving into laughter and debating whether or not he should just let them toss her in with the new male they had recently gotten to see if they could form their own pack, which was what the zoo keepers had been inclined to try, no really believing him entirely even when he showed them his Guild symbol and they had called the Guild.

Kalebs threats about furthering his punishment if he let anything bad happen to his charge kept him from letting the zoo keepers keep her overnight. Gods he would have loved to have seen her wake up in a holding cage at the Zoo though, but try as he might Kaleb wouldn't agree.

So instead she was chained by her back leg to a large tree behind a fence away from the public and Vander was leaning against a nearby tree almost crying he was laughing so hard.

"It really is." He snickered, the pained expression the lizard face made had him howling again.

"Gods, you're impossible, I really hate you right now…well…I usually hate you but now more than usual." She sighed and her flustered look was one of his favorites because he had to sit down barely able to breathe when he saw it.

"You act like this is normal, I take it you've been darted by Zoo personnel before?" He asked, managing to hold on to his humor, though his eyes were filled with it.

Lisanna glared at him "Not people from a Zoo…but I've been hunted before." He snickered "There a good trade for pink fluffy bunnies in Fiore or something?" He asked, getting back to his feet.

She didn't answer him, too flustered and annoyed. A few minutes later the manacle on her ankle clattered to the ground when she was finally able to transform back into her normal form.

He heaved a sigh, amusement was over it seemed. Still, she had a damn good new soul to start training with.

He planned to get her started with that and her scorpion take over tomarrow. "Lets get you settled in your temporary apartment." He said and she frowned "I'm not staying at the estate with everyone else?!" _With Natsu_?!

He shook his head, a lock of black hair falling over the wine colored eyes. "Nope, you're to focus on training, you aren't here for a fun vacation, you're here to train and prove you deserve to stay in Fairy Tail remember? So Master Kaleb has arranged for you to have an apartment at the guild while you and I train. That way you aren't distracted." He said firmly.

She was furious "But I have to talk to Natsu! You can't do this to me! I deserve to see my friends!" She was shouting at him as they were walking, leaving the zoo now and people looked at them oddly.

"You deserve nothing, you lost all of your rights when in a sick twisted effort to force yourself on a man who doesn't want you, you caused your "friends" to be injured and put their lives at risk as well as your own and the man you're obsessed with. He has specifically asked Master Makarov to help him get it through to you he DOES NOT WANT YOU!" He stopped walking to glare back at her, and she saw his dark eyes take on a deadly glint that in spite of her anger caused her to recoil instinctively in fear.

She shook her head at him, calming herself before panic rose again when he said Natsu didn't want her. "You're wrong. I need to talk to him, he just needs to be with me, he'll remember how he always felt about me when we were younger, you can't keep us apart!" She insisted.

Vander narrowed his eyes, Gods she was fucking crazy! He was a damned spy not a head doctor. He didn't back down though, he had two guild Masters demanding he handle her and while information extraction from people was one of his talents, forcing truth down someones throat felt similar.

"I'll make you a deal kid, you focus on your training and I'll see if I can get Dragneel to meet us for lunch. But I want you to work your ass off and I'll be taking you to the practice ring before the sun is up to get started, I see one fluffy piece of shit transformation or you try to go bitch mode on me even once and you're not seeing him, Deal?" He demanded. She nodded resentfully and he turned and resumed walking with her a little behind him.

They were trying to keep her from spoiling their plans, she saw it, their conspiracy to get Natsu to marry their sister, somehow this family had seen how powerful and wonderful Natsu was and were determined to integrate them into their fold by getting him married to their sister.

She was against the Pradesh family, she realized it now but it didn't matter, she was certain Natsu would remember how he'd always felt about her, the way they had been in love when they were children. It would come back to him, she just had to find the right way to trigger it. Vander and his brothers and their slut of a sister weren't going to stand between her and Natsu for long….

Xoxoooxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

Erza stretched, arching her back sitting up from the comfortable lounge and smiling out over the lush beauty of the Grass Sea beyond the beautiful peach tinted sand that made up the beach. The climate here was beautiful, it was December at it was in the mid 70s with a soft breeze and the Sea was just a few degrees cooler than the air.

Bickslow had told her it only snowed in the northern most parts of Bosco, that the Grass Sea kept the climate stable, though it did rain a lot several months out of the year. They were definitely spending Christmas in Bosco and at first she'd been disappointed but now, getting to meet Bickslows family, all of them appealed to her.

He'd been wonderful too, making sure he introduced her to his father as his Girlfriend, so clearly proud of her. Shopping yesterday with her friends had been so much fun she was almost in this strange feeling of content happiness that was just plain foreign to her but that she hoped would last.

She'd bought dresses, feminine things, lingerie too, a whole lot of it and had been up late trying to show Bickslow, but after the third lacy set he'd been done watching her show him and had needed to get his hands on her.

She had no complaints, the man did things to her body she hadn't imagined she could even feel until he showed her. Practiced as he was he knew how to touch a woman, how to just melt her body so she was putty in his hands, moaning and writhing and just consumed by a painful aching need she didn't have to deny or hold back with him.

He wanted all of it, pulled it out of her, loved her passion and told her so. At her wildest, when she tied him to the bed, started teasing and tormenting his body, even when he admitted she was just about torturing him, he would smirk "You know I love it…" He'd growl and she'd be on him, overwhelmed by lust.

He made her feel beautiful, made her feel all she'd ever hoped to, like a woman, and beyond that, like a well loved woman. He respected her as a warrior, but appreciated that she was a woman too and he was the only man who had ever done that.

Smiling over the Sea she felt him slid in behind her on the lounge, arms wrapping around her, his face pressing into her neck as his lips played over her skin and she closed her eyes, leaning back into his touch and humming in approval.

"You're due for more sunscreen, don't let the clouds fool you, you can still burn out here, how bout you let me help put it on?" He was smiling against her skin and she grinned.

"Like you helped this morning?" She teased. Getting ready to come outside this morning he'd brought the bottle of sunscreen out and stripped away her little babydoll nighty, grinning wickedly and insisting she let him help put sunscreen on before she got into her swim suit.

He'd barely gotten her shoulders done before he was bending her over the bed. Not that she minded that, oh no, she never turned away from sex, not now, not with him. It had become almost a little competition between them, who got too tired to continue first. To her delight, it was as often her as it was him.

"Well, we're in the open here, and Dads on the deck over there cooking burgers for lunch so we wont go…all the way there…" He purred by her ear and she grinned as he started rubbing his hands over her skin, applying the sunscreen.

She couldn't suppress a few soft moans as his skilled fingers kneaded into her flesh, his applying sunscreen turning into a bone melting massage for the knight that for the second time that day reduced her to putty in the Seith Mages hands.

He had a few minor bruises from his turn training with Natsu. Today it was Laxus and Vander who would be running the Dragon Slayer through his paces. Laxus providing heavy ranged attacks and Vander apparently lethal at hand to hand and Erza had to admit, she itched to challenge Bickslows little brother to a match but she was willing to wait a bit, he was handling the Lisanna problem.

Lisanna apparently working with a couple members of White Sea for the morning while Natsu trained. She had demanded to see the Fire Slayer, something Natsu wasn't looking forward to but had agreed to.

Erza and the others had talked about her a lot while they had been shopping, and agreed they all needed to talk with her. They were all going to pick her up after her lunch with Natsu, who had plainly, calmly, told them all yesterday he had no feelings for the girl, had never had any but friendship and anymore didn't even feel that, her actions had made him completely uncomfortable around her to the point if she weren't a guildmate, he'd have nothing to with her ever again.

Erza had seen Emzadi start to boil where she sat, well away from Natsu. She doubted Lisanna had any idea the kind of woman Natsu had fallen for. Erza herself wasn't sure she would want to fight Emzadi in a real way, spar yes, actual fight, she wasn't sure she would win…or even survive.

She respected that, a mage trained like Emzadi had trained herself had nothing but her respect. She also respected Natsus decisions, admired that Emzadi was facing her own difficult fears about it all and letting him work to have her.

It was maybe sudden, swift, but Gajeel said something that was how it was with Dragon Slayers and Wendy said she had gone from not really any particular interest in romance and such to just about obsessed with it once she had met Cristoff and her dragon had recognized him as her mate.

Even Levy admitted that when she had first met Gajeel, when he had been with Phantom Lord and had brutally attacked her, she'd felt things for him even then and Gajeel had smiled a little pained smile and muttered about dragon magic and destiny.

So maybe it was a little sudden, but with Female Dragon Slayers, that seemed to be how they worked. Wendy had known immediately Cristoff was meant for her, Cristoff admitted he'd denied it for a while, but he'd known too. Even Cobra said he'd felt things, things so foreign to him he hadn't known what they were, but the first time he'd met Lucy he had felt a connection to her, an attraction.

"I blew it off as just her being gorgeous with a great rack, but even then I knew that wasn't all of it." He'd said grudgingly, and mostly because Lucy had been in his lap, hugging him and running her fingers through his hair, he was usually easy to ply from things when Lucy was involved.

They were gathering to eat, a table set up out on the deck, and Arman had the awning extended as the breeze kicked up a little and rain started drizzling from the steel colored sky. Rain made the scent of the Sea even stronger, and it was so soothing everyone was relaxed and happy as they sat. The meal was delicious, cold wine and beer was passed around generously.

Lucy was getting up to go grab some ice, wanting some of the fresh squeezed lemonade in the pitcher one of the maids had brought out when all of a sudden her head just spun, lightheaded, weakened to the point her knees buckled, she dropped like a rock with a surprised gasp.

Cobra was right next to her, close enough he was able to lunge from his seat and catch her, wide eyed and frowning he snapped a look at Wendy as she hurried up.

"Lets get her inside to lay down, it's warm out here…" Wendy said, nodding to Cristoff who stood back, leaving this to his wife. They had reached a silent understanding now that he was permanently with Fairy Tail at her side. She would handle the womens health, he handled the men. So he let her go with Cobra carrying a now protesting Lucy into the house, going back to his seat, trusting Wendy to handle whatever might be ailing Lucy.

Since they had only escaped captivity a few short days ago now, there could be residual issues from all of the drugs and potions that had been forced into them.

Cobra laid Lucy on their bed and moved over to let Wendy come up and start going over her.

"I'm fine, I really think I just stood up too fast, and lets be honest, you and I didn't exactly sleep much last night Erik." She smirked and he smiled faintly but narrowed his eye on her "True, but after what you went through, I'm not taking chances woman." He snapped back but there was no harshness to it.

Wendy smiled knowingly, it was no secret the pair went at it a lot, she couldn't say much, since the other night, she'd kept Cristoff up and was running low on sleep herself but had no regrets about it. She had him back, and as terrible as it all was that he'd gone through, their bond was deeper, stronger than ever, and suddenly, he wasn't resisting her being dominant so much anymore, she'd enjoyed that a lot last night.

Her magic flowed through Lucys body, checking everything as her hands moved down the womans body then she stopped abruptly, double, triple checking what she felt. She'd checked Lucy over a few times since getting her back, how had she missed this?!

"Just a minute…" Wendy said abruptly, running to the window and opening it she leaned out ignoring the rain.

"Cristoff come up here please!" She called lightly.

Cobra frowned "What? What is it? Did that fucker do something we didn't catch right away?!" He demanded.

Wendy shook her head looking up at Cristoff as he came into the room "Hang on, I want Cristoff to go over her, honey? Do a check, I think I know what's happening but I don't know how I missed it before now…" She said a little unhappily and now Lucy was frowning as Cristoff stepped up beside Lucy his checks were, Wendy knew, no longer more deep than hers, she'd mastered the deep reaching, but he was just more practiced, had more experience and a second opinion was always a good thing.

Her mate smiled faintly, meeting her eyes and nodding at her then nudging her, "Ok, take em out of their misery." He prodded and Wendy grinned looking down at Lucy.

"You're perfectly healthy Lucy, not a thing wrong with you, and, you're pregnant. What would you say Cristoff, a month?" She asked.

Cristoff met Cobras widening gaze "I'd say about since the reversal, Lucy I thought you said you took a potion…" He chuckled. Lucy blinked "I did..I…the one I had Emma give me for Wendy because I thought she'd need one…" she breathed.

Wendy grinned "But I'm smaller than you Lucy, younger, one made for me wouldn't be as strong and…" Wendy giggled "Your mate had all his lights turned on all at once."

Cristoff laughed at that "Hah! My record stands, every reversal I've ever done resulted in a pregnancy." He shook his head, clapping Cobra on the back "Congratulations man, you're gonna be a father, standard Dragon Slayer too, there are two babies in there!"

Cobras stunned look lifted into a grin as he met Lucys eyes, her own gradually lighting up with his and he lunged onto the bed, straddling his mate and scooping her up into a fierce hug then kissing her breathless.

Wendy and Cristoff stood back, letting the couple adjust to the news.

"Twins?!" Cobra looked at Wendy and she nodded grinning. "Most Dragon Slayers have multiples, some as many as quadruplets, quintuplets have even been recorded, it's actually incredibly rare for a Dragon Slayer to only produce a single baby in a pregnancy. Now Lucy, Wendys gonna have to check you weekly, get set up carefully, vitamins, diet, everything. Your pregnancy will only be about six months and…" He snickered, looking at Wendy then back at the couple.

"Now how intensely horny you two always are makes sense, Slayer babies need to draw magic from the father and the best way for them to do it is while you two have your bodies joined, so, to prevent the babies from over pulling on Lucys magic, you're naturally compelled to..well…fuck as often as you can."

Lucys eyes were wide, six months! She was going to run through a whole pregnancy in siz months! She'd been getting heavy around the middle but she'd figured she was just retaining water since her period was a little late, it had happened before to her, and she'd been eating like a beast too devouring sweets like a mad woman.

She looked up at Cobra, feeling his joy practically humming through their connection. "We're having babies." She whispered and he hugged her again, tears in his eye.

"Hang on." He said, jumping from the bed to the window, leaning out and looking over their friends and his now family seated below under the awning to the left of him.

"She's fine! We're having twins! Lucy is pregnant!" He called down.

There was instant chaos, shouts of excitement, and Cobra climbed onto the bed, sliding behind Lucy and pulling her firmly against him as within seconds the room started filling with excited people babbling out congratulations. Arman Came around, hugging them both "I'm finally going to be a grandfather!" He cried excitedly and Cobra was grinning up at the man who was now his father, who would be their babies grandfather.

"I have to call Vander so he can tell your guild mates! I think they can cut practice short today!" He called and stepped back to dig out his lacrima.

Cobra was getting his hand shaken he and Lucy were both being hugged way beyond his usually comfort zone for such things, which was usually non-existent but right then, in that moment, there was no happiness that had ever been greater for him. Holding his mate, hands on her belly, knowing that within her his children were growing, he was going to be a father!

xoxoxooxooxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

A/N so happy 40th everyone!...DESNA


	41. Chapter 41 Revalations

A/N little more normal chapter length here. Hope you all enjoy...DESNA

xooxxxxxxxxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Lisanna was pushed hard all morning, but she worked, dedicated to proving she could and Kaleb told her he was impressed by her new take over and let her go to her studying early.

She learned something unpleasant then. The small locker area Bonnie had taken her to the day before was actually a private one for the highest ranking guild members, Vanders key had apparently been why they could get in there but since he was busy training with Natsu, she was left to use the normal showers…and Boscans, having no modesty, their culture being one that viewed nudity, sex etc as natural and open, their showers were communal and were for men and women both.

So Lisanna had been taking her sweat soaked clothes off when a huge man, completely naked, had walked right past her, busy drying his hair with a towel, sitting on the bench her yes had been even with his groin and she'd been frozen, staring.

He hadn't noticed, the burly man had walked right past her, not even sparing a second glace for the wide eyed little woman gaping at him on the bench. Women walked around too, in various states of undress and nobody blinked.

Lisanna was red faced, wrapping herself in a towel and carrying her supplies quickly to the shower area only to find the shower stalls partitions were only a little better than waist high and they didn't have doors on them.

She even saw one woman, a tall beautiful dark haired creature, sharing hers with two men, alternating between soaping herself, and them, smiling and accepting kisses, even grabbing one by his hair to pull him to her when he'd spent to long not paying attention to her.

"You're the Fioran our Master and his brother are working with….you look so tense, when was the last time someone rubbed those bunched up muscles you have too few of?" The dark haired woman asked, turning her attention to Lisanna.

The men with her didn't seem to care, the one whose hair she'd pulled rinsing out his hair then stepping past the woman and the other man to grab a towel and start drying himself off.

"I…uh…" Lisanna stammered, trying to tear her eyes off of him, she'd never honestly seen a naked man before, now she was surrounded by them, and most of them had the typical bodies of working mages. Toned, fit, in this mans case, lean but muscular with the typical Boscan complexion. He had incredible eyes when he stood and finally looked with mild interest at her, his left was gray, his right was yellow and longish black and purple streaked hair framed a handsome face with the almond shaped eyes and long lashes common in Bosco.

"Let Kahn help you shower, he's very good with his hands…you…you're not one of the really prudish Fiorans are you? We fought in the invasion, so many of your people are just so shy and afraid of their bodies! Please tell me you're not like that!" The woman was smiling, pale green eyes warm and friendly and Lisanna just, instantly, liked her.

"No…I mean…I don't…well we don't have communal showers or anything like this in Fiore, so I really…haven't been exposed like this before…" She admitted.

The woman nodded to Kahn who grinned and tossed his towel aside, stepping in with Lisanna who thought her heart might actually explode from her chest in a mixture of shock, fear and also…more carnal feelings.

Kahn was…delicious.

He wasn't shy, the bi-colored eyes were warm, inviting "Let me help, you really do look pretty beat up." He said, his voice was deep, smooth, had a lilting accent when he spoke in common.

He turned her to face the smiling green eyed woman who reached out and took her hand. "I'm Thessaly, this is Brice and of course Kahn…I'm happy to meet you, you must be very proud, getting to work directly with the master and one of his brothers is a rare honor. Vander is a mysterious one, one of the guilds few Steel Council s-class mages, though I hope to gain the rank myself one day, the jobs from that board pay ridiculously well!"

Lisanna blinked, "I'm Lisanna…it's nice to meet you…I…I don't know much about everything here, my Guild Master worked this out with yours so here I am." She said, not wanting to admit she was actually being punished.

She gasped, then groaned as Kahns hands slid up her back and she felt him come close to her, blushed she was sure darker than Erzas hair. "Easy, don't tense up so much, just relax Lisanna." Kahn crooned at her and she nodded stiffly.

"Will you be with us for a while?" Thessaly asked and Lisanna nodded "at least three weeks." She replied, shocked that as Kahns hands moved she was not only relaxing into his touch but her body was sending all sorts of crazy sensations all over.

"Good! Then lets be friends! You're from our new Sister guild Fairy Tail, I recognize that guild symbol, I've signed up for an exchange period but since I'm not a maker mage that can help with rebuilding it will be a while before I get to go…." Thessaly smiled knowingly, watching the over woman softening in Kahns skilled hands, she was rubbing over Brices firm body herself, contemplating pushing him against a wall for a little shower fun.

"Lets relax together Lisanna…you want to? Kahn and Brice and I…we work as a team a lot, do you have time?" She asked

Lisannas eyes were closed, Kahns hands felt so incredibly good, and when he pulled her a little, so she could lean back against his hard body, his warmth just added to the wonderful feelings he was building in her.

Thessaly smirked "I can see you sure are enjoying Kahn…" She chuckled and winked at the man who smiled, his hands sliding around Lisanna as she muttered that she had 2 hours free. Kaleb had told her she should shower and maybe soak in the bath for a while, he'd send someone for her in a couple of hours.

"2 hours is plenty of time…" Kahn breathed by her ear, his hands rubbing the fronts of her thighs and Lisanna had forgotten she was naked, and that he was, and that Thessaly and Brice were right there, she might not have been able to remember her own name right then.

Nobody had ever touched her like this, held her like this, it felt so impossibly good.

"Well take a Sea Steam together, come on, you'll love it, it's so soothing." Thessaly said and Then Kahn was taking her hand and she would have followed the man anywhere, she was reaching out and touching him as they walked and he didn't reject her, just smiled, those bi-colored eyes so warm and friendly.

Thessaly stopped at a counter, got a key from an attendant and led them down a few doors on the far wall across from the showers, unlocking the door and letting them go in.

The room was dimly lit, soft music played when Thessaly hit a switch steam started filling the room, it smelled amazing, just like the Grass Sea, there were low wide smooth wooden bench seats all around the room and Thessaly stretched out on one, laying on her belly while Brice started rubbing her back.

"Lay down Lisanna." Kahn invited and she did like Thessaly had and groaned when Kahn started working on her back.

It felt so good, and the trio talked quietly, telling her about all they should all do together if she had time, inviting her to join them on an oncoming job in a week and she promised she would see if she could go and she really wanted to, which surprised her.

But then Kahn was rubbing her legs and things were heating up in her body so much, every touch was starting to make her just ache for the next and then she felt hot lips on her shoulder and she gasped, rolling over to look up and he was smiling down at her.

"So beautiful…Lisanna…I want you…" He said huskily and Lisannas eyes widened and she was frozen "Mmm, you should so let him Lisanna…Kahn is so so good…even if you're a virgin…are you? I know Fiorans get stuck holding onto that so much longer than we Boscans do." Thessaly asked. Lisanna nodded dazedly, staring up into Kahns eyes and he was kissing her, and it felt so impossibly good.

"I…I'm a virgin…" She admitted and he was kissing her chin, her neck, her breasts and it felt incredible. "Gods…let me free you from that…please…" Kahn purred and she was nodding again, unable to think about anything but how good he felt, how amazing her body felt. Never in her life had she felt like this, even her raciest dreams about Natsu had never gone past kissing, maybe a little touching, and Kahn was kissing her so much better than Natsu in her dreams ever had.

His fingers were between her legs and she was moaning and just drowning in the best sensations she'd ever had.

Looking over she saw Thessaly had rolled to her back and Brice had settled between the young womans legs and was rolling his hips, Thessaly tilting her head back, one arm draped over his back, the other up over her head as he was kissing and sucking at her neck.

She looked up at Kahn and he kissed her again, his tongue sliding into her mouth and she forgot all about Thessaly, Natsu, even her sisters warnings about not letting what was normal in Bosco become normal for her. Kahns fingers were inside of her, his tongue was in her mouth and all she wanted was more of that, all she could get of it, because something was building up inside of her and she wanted more, needed more.

It kept building, the ache deepening, the need for what she didn't know but she knew his fingers weren't all she wanted, there was more, she knew the thick heavy erection he had, that her hand was sliding tentatively over, that was what she wanted inside her, somehow she knew it would feel so much more satisfying than his fingers, as amazing as those were.

He hummed in approval when she started stroking him but after a few minutes she couldn't manage movement anymore, the tension inside her had reached a boiling point and as he plunged his fingers deep into her and curled them into one specific spot her back arched off the smooth wood of the bench and she half gasped half moaned out his name.

He didn't stop, as the waves of pleasure were still making her whole body spasm his figers came out of her and suddenly that thick erection was pushing into her replacing them, moving in between each spasm deeper and deeper until with a groan he was lifting her hips from the bench to press their bodies as firmly together as possible and he was buried inside her.

Still her body spasmed around the incredible stretching a full sensations prolonging her high and adding so much more to it. "Gods…so tight…Lisanna…you feel so fucking good." Kahn rasped.

"Careful Kahn, don't wanna cum now and leave her hanging her first time…" Brice teased.

"You just concentrate on not leaving ME hanging." Thessaly growled and Brice laughed until she silenced him by pulling him down to kiss her. "I won't leave you unsatisfied Lisanna…I'm gonna make you so happy you let me do this with you…" Kahn promised, licking over her ear as his hips started moving and Lisanna was lost again.

She really hadn't even thought it was possible to feel better, get more pleasure out of this man but she was, oh Gods was she ever. The feel of his long thick cock pumping steadily in and out of her was so intense she could barely breathe.

Mira had said her first time would be painful, almost excruciating, so Lisanna had refrained, not particularly interested in sex if it involved pain. Her love of Natsu hadn't had anything sexual in it, certainly nothing like this had ever entered her mind at all, she just…well…looking up into smiling bi-colored eyes, watching him bend and roll his tongue over her nipple, running her hands over his hard body, she couldn't even imagine Natsu doing this with her.

He was just goofy grins and fun…this…this was levels above that innocent….she realized then…childish…love. This was hot, incredible, pleasure and heat and lust and it was wonderful and Gods did she want more of it.

When Kahn lifted her hips, drew one of her legs up and started pumping into her harder and faster, that wonderful cock of his plunging deep inside of her making her whole body tingle, her legs shake, his thrusts so strong her breasts started bouncing and she was running her nails down his back and sucking on his neck and whispering, begging him for more, to go harder, faster, and he did and she loved it, couldn't possible get enough.

No…her last thought before thoughts were completely beyond her reach was that she could never do this with Natsu.

Xoxoooxxxxoxxoxoooo

Vander blanched, glancing at Kaleb who heaved a sigh and pinched the bridge of his nose, Laxus' mouth fell open "Oh Gods…" The Lightning slayer breathed, Natsu stood beside him shaking his head in disbelief.

"Master? Is there something wrong? I am sorry, Thessaly, Brice and Kahn met the young woman in the showers, they were getting along really well and decided to take a steam bath together…I did not know…is the Fairy Tail mage not allowed to do that?" The attendant was worried, when the Master and the others came to the counter asking about the Fairy Tail mage he'd told them she had retired to a steam room with Thessaly and her team mates Brice and Kahn.

When the Master asked him to pull up the display from the camera for the room to check on them nothing looked wrong. Thessaly was laying back, Brice between her legs the pair clearly enjoying themselves with some relaxed sex, and the Fairy Tail mage was across from them, Kahn between her legs, the pair definitely much more vigorous in their intercourse but also looking perfectly happy.

It was normal for people to indulge in all manner of relaxation in the steam rooms, it was why they were kept so meticulously well cleaned. There were no rules against it and the attendant hadn't been told the Fairy Tail mage wasn't allowed in the steam rooms, maybe she had allergies? He didn't know but she looked perfectly normal to him yet his Guild Master, the masters brother, who he never, ever wanted to anger because he knew that mans reputation, looked upset and so did the two Fairy Tail mages. So the man was worried.

"You did nothing wrong, it's fine…turn off the display." Kaleb sighed and turned to look at the others while the attendant let out a relieved breath, turned the display back to its usual position and flipped off the feed to it from that room back to the multiple camera views general display it usually showed.

"I…uh." Laxus managed.

"Does this mean she's over me?" Natsu asked hopefully. Vander shook off his initial surprise, then, seeing Kaleb wasn't going to blame this on him relaxed and grinned. "Maybe it's what she needed to push her out of her stuck in bat shit crazy mode?" He offered.

"Miras gonna fucking flip…" Laxus groaned.

"Well, in our defense we didn't set her up to do this, I honestly thought she'd be too much of a stuck up bitch to talk with anyone…let alone this." Kaleb waved vaguely toward the steam rooms.

"Thessaly and her team have always been super friendly, great with new members." Vander chuckled.

"This isn't funny." Laxus frowned, thinking of how badly Mira was likely to hurt him. He was responsible for Fairy Tail while they were here, ultimately this fell on him and he'd even been nearby when it happened, couldn't even hide behind not being at the guild when it went down.

"I think it's great if she'll stop obsessing about me." Natsu grinned, meeting Vanders laughing eyes with his own and the pair nodded in agreement.

Laxus frowned, having his guilds biggest screw-up and Kalebs youngest brother, who had a less than stellar reputation in a lot of ways agreeing just made him feel worse.

"I say we leave it, let her have fun with her new friends. I'll assign Gaza to make sure she stays safe, gets a birth control potion tonight since I don't doubt Kahn is plenty fertile, he's 20 and while he hasn't fathered any children yet, he's always been like the rest of that team, but maybe this IS a good thing and we should let it be." Kaleb said.

Laxus ran a hand through his hair. "What about her lunch with Natsu?" He asked. It was at that moment his com went off, and Kalebs.

While Laxus answered his, instantly feeling better seeing Emmas bright smiling face, Kaleb answered his, smiling himself because his father looked absolutely elated.

A few minutes later the four men were wide eyed and looking at each other with a mixture of joy and dread.

"I wanna see Luigi, Gods! Pregnant! I have to see her I'm her best friend!" Natsu said. "Shit…" Vander shoved a hand through his hair, he wanted to get home too, maybe Erik was new to his family, but damn it…he really fucking liked the idea of being an uncle and he wanted to congratulate his brother and soon to be sister-in-law.

"Come to the office over here, lets try to figure out what we're going to do with Lisanna…" Kaleb sighed, leading the group to the administration office for the shower/bath/steam rooms

Xoxooooxoxoxoxo

Lisanna, blissfully unaware that her guildmates, "partner" and Kaleb were close by arguing about how to handle her, was languidly kissing firm hot lips, giggling intermittently when Kahn or one of the others made a comment about how fast she'd gone from tense and "scared as a rabbit" to how relaxed and content as she seemed now.

"We should go rinse off and get lunch…I'm hungry, you think you can come with us Lisanna?" Brice asked. He and Thessaly were sitting up, legs wrapped around each other, doing much what she and Kahn were doing, lazily touching and kissing each other in the pleasant aftermath of their more vigorous activities.

"Spend the day with us, we could go see a movie, there's some good ones playing, then maybe take a hot bath together, you could stay at my place with us tonight if you want Lisanna, do you think they would let you? The Master is strict about training but we're new friends, surely he'd let you have a day of fun!" Thessaly said brightly and Lisanna frowned in spite of the pleasant feeling of Kahns tongue moving over her neck.

She had just had sex with a man she barely knew, that she had just met in the shower, lost her virginity, breaking Gods only knew how many Mira taboos in the last two hours but she liked Thessaly, liked Brice, and she really really liked Kahn. Spending the day with them sounded like heaven, especially if she and Kahn could do some more of what they had been doing…

"I'll ask, I don't know…" She admitted, Kahn was sucking on her ear lobe "Please Lisanna…I want to get to know you….I'd love to have you again too…" He admitted.

Thessaly laughed "Uh oh, I think you've caught Kahns interest Lisanna, don't worry though, he shares." Thessaly said brightly. Kahn chuckled "I would share some…but I like her…" He pulled back, smiling into her eyes "Her pretty eyes, her white hair….she's a good kisser…" He said, and leaned in to kiss her more and Lisanna was smiling, eagerly kissing him back.

Thessaly and Brice both laughed "Well good! Better friends, better team! Come on, lets rinse off and get dressed, give Lisanna a chance to find who she needs to ask about getting the rest of the day off to be with us!" Brice said.

"And joining us for a mission next week!" Thessaly added.

Lisanna was smiling, nodding and drank in one more long kiss from Kahn before they all left the steam room and went to rinse off in the showers, something Kahn was all too happy to help her with before the trio gathered their things and joined her where she was getting dressed and she was smiling, caught up in the groups happy chatting about which movie they wanted to see. Hoping beyond hope she could, after making such a fuss about getting it set up, get out of the lunch planned with Natsu.

Vander was who she found first when she went looking. Her new friends trailing behind her hopefully. She wasn't overly surprised by the way Thessaly and the others bowed to the man, he seemed to command some hefty respect at the guild.

"Lisanna…Thessaly, Brice..Kahn…new friends?" He asked, keeping his face carefully void of the knowing smirk he so badly wanted to be wearing right now. Little Princess Prude had been doing the deed very enthusiastically from what he'd seen with the young mage behind her, well, technically Khan was a year older than Vander, but Vander had been working higher ranked jobs for a lot longer.

"Yes and I know this is going to seem…I don't know…maybe awful since I was so adamant about it yesterday but I'd like to have lunch with my friends…and…I worked very hard this morning….I'd like to spend the rest of the day with them, and…." She was losing steam as Vanders brows went up burt Kahn was beside her then on her right, Thessaly and Brice to her left.

"And go with us on a mission next week, please Vander…aren't we supposed to be embracing our new sister guild? What better way than by working together?!" Thessaly said brightly.

Vander gave Lisanna a hard look and the womans eyes lowered "You'll have to train hard…be able to stand beside your new friends and pull your weight, not let them down…" He warned and Lisanna looked up at him, determination in her eyes.

"I will, I promise, please…" She pleaded. Vander heaved a sigh "After all I went through to set this up, you know he did NOT want to come at ALL." He said pointedly.

Lisanna winced, why it suddenly bothered her she wasn't sure but it did, and she couldn't say why suddenly it was more important to be with her new friends than to see Natsu but it was, and she was sure, sadly, Natsu wouldn't mind not having lunch with her.

"I know, tell him I'm sorry, but…I don't really…need to see him suddenly." She admitted, looking at Thessaly who was a bit confused, but still smiling brightly, then at Kahn, whose warm exotic eyes just made her want to kiss him again.

Vander heaved a sigh, putting on his best disappointed look, the one he thought his father had given him about a million times by now that never bothered him but his dad kept trying anyway.

"This is what you want…more than seeing Pinky, knowing what I'm taking that to mean?" He asked and Lisanna nodded solemnly, trying not to look too excited about the possibility he was about to give her what she wanted so badly.

"Ok, I'll talk to Kaleb and Natsu, go have the rest of the day off, you're at the ring to train by 9am tomarrow though, see how nice I'm fucking being? You better damn well appreciate it!" He snapped, because she really hadn't done a damn thing to earn this, but he had a strong feeling it was probably the best thing in the damn world for her and he knew Natsu was going to over the moon about it.

Thessaly bounced up and down, a real sight considering the young woman was in a snug shirt and skirt and her ample breasts were well displayed. Kahn pulled Lisannas face around for a hot kiss that had her blushing and Vander unable to avoid the knowing smirk now. As soon as Kahn released her he pulled her to him "So you know, I went to find you in the showers, saw via security camera what you were up to in the steam room…and I approve, seriously, I almost cried with pride." He whispered and Lisannas eyes flew wide and met his wine colored ones that were all varieties of wickedly smiling back at her.

"Take good care of our sister mage Thessaly, boys, she's to be back here by 9am tomarrow." He said, turning and leaving them and Lisanna was swept up into a hug in Brices arms and the trio ushered her happily toward the Guild Hall.

Oxoooxoooxx

Natsu carried an annoyed Ruby from his room, the little dragon had been cooped up all morning and was eager to get outdoors. She absolutely loved it at the estate, had taken to the water like a damn water dragon instead of whatever it was she was, her scales had been shifting colors with her last shed and she was getting heavy.

The red was getting darker, deeper but her eyes remained the same sky blue. She greedily tore into the pahn carcass Gajeel dropped on the grass for her off the deck. Pahn were small thick skinned pigs, delicious, a favorite of Natsus if he was honest.

Emzadi would be outside soon, it would be their first meeting, outdoors, after Ruby was fed. They'd given the whelp a little time to adjust to her new environment, and the presence of Emzadis scent.

Natsu had been thrilled the night before when Cristoff had insisted he scent mark with the Solar Slayer, nuzzling with her so their scents mingled. Cristoff said it would be a good way to introduce Ruby to Emzadis scent.

Sure enough, when he'd collected her from Gajeel afterward, the whelp had been all over him sniffing and making soft growling and hissing noises. He'd refused her attempts to rub her own scent over Emzadis, Cristoff had told him to be firm about it, and while Natsu was rarely firm about much with Ruby, he did as instructed and the whelp had seemed annoyed, but had finally stopped trying to cover up the strange scent on her sibling.

Getting Emzadis scent all over him had been a hell of a lot of torture for Natsu. With Cristoff and Gajeel close Natsu had knelt in the grass near the house while Emzadi had nuzzled his neck, face, back and chest, running her hands over him, dragging her nose, lips, tongue and even chest across his body.

"Keep calm, eyes closed Natsu, no reactions…or at least as little as possible." Crsitoff soothed as Natsu struggled not to grab his gorgeous mate to be, kiss her, throw her on the grass and cover her body with his, all of the things his dragon wanted badly, screamed at him to do.

"Everything Natsu works with is little." Gajeel had snorted and Natsu had glared at him "Not fucking helping." He'd said tersely.

"Taunt him now, mess this up and I'll melt you Iron Slayer…" Emzadi had growled, orange eyes burning on Gajeels surprised red ones. Emzadis growls held so much more weight than Wendys, likely because she was a pure combat mage where Wendy was a compassion driven healer.

Most of the time Wendys growls held no real threat, just annoyance, but Emzadis always seemed to ring with deadly intent. She was after all, a Dragon Slayer that had killed, both in combat and people she had cared about. Emzadi was hardened, much like Gajeel was, like Cobra, Cristoff and Laxus were, and, he had to admit it, like Natsu was, the fire slayer had killed when he'd had to.

Something Wendy had never done, and hopefully never would, Cristoff he knew would do anything to keep his mate from ever having to cross that line. So her growls were different.

Never the less, the growls and draconic sounds from the female slayers had more impact than those of the males, among the males at least, and they seemed unable to ignore that or lessen it.

"Fuuuuck." Natsu groaned as Emzadi pressed her chest against his, wrapping her arms around him and nuzzling into his neck, sraping her fangs over his skin and making him shudder.

"Hey, enough Emi…that's not fair and you fucking know it…" Cristoff chuckled, prodding his sister with his foot.

She grinned, flashing him an impish smile before stepping back. She knew she smelled of arousal, she couldn't hide it and didn't care, she wanted Natsu, her dragon was keening inside her to take him, claim him, once she had dominated him she could fuck him to her hearts content and that was true, but if she dominated him, he'd never be able to lay claim to her as her mate, could never do more than fuck her and even if they went at it like bunnies she would be unlikely to get pregnant because her dragon would consider him weak, inferior.

The more she was around Natsu, the more she knew her dragon was right, he was hers, meant to be hers, and she prayed many times and day that she was meant to be his and he would successfully claim her.

Gods help her, she was already falling for him as much as she didn't want to, she hated her weak heart, so eager and desperate for love that it threw itself out there without her consent.

This woman from Fairy Tail, she was ready to meet her, this Lisanna. If she pursued Natsu much longer no matter what her Father said, Emzadi would be certain she got her meeting with the woman, she would school her well on how wrong it was to try and force her affections on someone, especially on Emzadis intended.

It had been a distraction she hated to admit she needed while watching Natsu leave each day to train. She stayed around the others, his friends who knew him, especially Lucy drew her, the woman knew Natsu better than anyone, and had a haughty, fiery nature edged with a sweetness that contrasted it and in particular, contrasted her mate, Emis new brother, dramatically.

Emi loved Erik already, couldn't help it, he was a foul mouthed, sarcastic plain spoken man who wasn't afraid to say exactly what was on his mind and she just loved that. She also was absolutely thrilled that she was going to be an aunt, that there would be babies in the Pradesh family and more than that, they would be Dragon Slayer babies!

She hesitated at the door, seeing Natsu, Gajeel, ristoff and Wendy outside and also seeing the whelp. She was excited to meet her, Rubystraza, a true dragon, the first one born in centuries, and, Natsus sister, daughter of Igneel the dragon King and Raineira the Storm Queen.

As far as pedigrees went, Ruby couldn't have had much better. And she was breathtaking as only a dragon could be to a Dragon Slayer. Narrowing her eyes, she stepped outside.

Natsu was sitting watching Ruby knowing at the bones of her meal and felt Emzadi come out, looking over at her his breath catching like it always did when he saw her.

Regal, sensual, primal, that was Emzadi. In Red today. She had gone shopping with the women and while she had convinced them all to purchase traditional Boscan veil outfits, something all of the men were very much looking forward to seeing on their women, they had gotten her to buy more common clothing. She wore snug red shorts, a white tank top that was stretched deliciously over her chest and a red button up that was tied instead of buttoned at her waist.

Her hair was held by red ribbons and as always, the traditional Boscan chain across her forehead, this one holding deep red garnets. Wendy was actually wearing one herself, hers had dark blue stones in it, Emzadi told her as a Boscan wed wife to a respected Boscan wizard, she should wear a chain while in Bosco so people knew the pride she took in her husband and family.

She had also showed Wendy the ring chains, in Bosco, men who were happily married and took particular pride in people knowing it, wore them, silver or gold chains that connected to their wedding ring and ran to a metal band around their wrists that usually bore the birth stones of their wife and children.

Wendy had happily purchased one for Cristoff, with her diamond birthstone in it and Emi was proud to see it on her brother this morning. Right now only Wendys stone adorned it, but Emzadi hoped very much that whole band would be covered in gems one day. Cristoff adored children, and was very good with them, he would be an amazing father one day.

She knew Lucy had bought one for Erik too and was enthusiastic about embracing their adopted countries customs, the customs of their new family.

Ribys head snapped up abruptly and Gajeel and Cristoff as well and Natsu all stilled as the whelp leveled her blue eyes on Emzadi. In a nimble leap the dragon was on the deck and circling her and Emzadi stood tall, eyes narrowed, when Ruby looked up at her Emzadi smoothly dropped down to her knees, bringing her eyes level with the dragons and the two stared into each others eyes.

Ruby glanced at Wendy then and Cristoff stood, moving over and stepping deliberately between Ruby and his sister, meeting the dragons eyes firmly and growling at her before he bent and touched his forehead to Emzadis.

Ruby bowed her head when Cristoff growled, she still very much acknowledged him as an alpha in the odd Tatsu they had. She watched intently as the alpha rubbed his forehead on the new Dragon female.

Her nostrils flaring, she knew the scent, it had been all over her brother. Her eyes widened when her alpha female stood and came over, doing the same thing, stepping between Ruby and Emzadi and claiming her with rubbing her forehead to the new females.

Then her eyes widened when her brother rose.

"Lots of care Natsu, one wrong move and you're in between fighting Dragons." Cristoff said softly.

The pink haired slayer nodded, as always not looking at Emzadi, avoiding eye contact with her. Cristoff and Wendy stepped to the side and let him come between Ruby and Emzadi, the Solar slayer had her eyes closed as he approached, struggling with her inner dragon.

It wanted nothing to do with letting their intended walk about unclaimed much longer, it wanted him dominated, and ridden into the ground, and this whelp, this little female it smelled of him. Yes it also smelled of her family, but rivalry was real regardless of age.

It acknowledged Ruby as an infant, but she was not Emzadis offspring, so she was competition.

But then their intended was nuzzling against heir ear, purring softly, carefully keeping himself angled so he was beneath the level of her eyes. She hummed, almost a purr, accepting his affection greedily and returning it in kind.

Ruby growled and Natsu was flung to the side, skidding across the desk and off of it so fast he barely had time to twist and catch the edge of the deck before he flew off of it.

Emzadi lunged the second Ruby growled, pinning the whelp to the deck on her back and before anyone could utter a sound was on top of the whelp, its throat in her teeth as she snarled menacingly at it.

Rubys eyes were huge, and she struggled but only for a moment, seeing even her brother crouching at the edge of the deck where this new female had thrown him, his eyes down. When she looked to the Iron Slayer his were down as well.

A growl made both females tense, coming long and low from Wendy. As she approached Emzadi released Ruby and backed off of her, lowering her eyes and Ruby, wide eyed, remained on her back watching Wendy.

Wendy knelt beside the whelp and bent, touching her forehead to the little ones and Ruby whined, instantly soothed by a soft hum from Wendy. Twisting she righted herself and hurried to her alphas side while Wendy stood and moved, looking down at Emzadi who knelt before her, eyes down.

Turning to look at the whelp Wendy was gratified and relieved to watch Ruby meet her eyes then look between her and Emzadi, duck her head and crawl to Emzadi and nuzzle her, accepting her like the others had, and Cristoff let a breath out. Gajeel came then, touching his forehead to Emzadis, then Levi, Cobra, Lucy, Laxus and finally Emma.

Once done, Ruby seemed to lose interest in what was happening and jumped from the deck to hurry and role in the warm sand of the beach a few yards away.

"That's it?" Laxus asked. Emzadi smiled "Yes, I am part of the Tatsu now, and Ruby has accepted me, and Natsus intentions with me." The Solar slayer smiled toward the Fire Slayer, grinned his usual grin back at all of them.

Xxoxoooxoxxoxo

Arrangements were made over dinner that night. The women would pick Lisanna up after her training. Including Emzadi, something Lucy and Levi both exchanged nervous looks about.

"I can keep them from fighting." Erza assured them firmly, inwardly uncertain about that but hiding it.

NIckslow squeezed her knee under the table and she blushed, though not as deeply as she had when he'd done similar things before. She was getting comfortable, adjusted, to having a boyfriend now, happy to the point it scared her too.

While the others continued to discuss how the day tomarrow would be handled, and who should say or do what with Lisanna she watched Bickslow out the corner of her eyes as he sat beside her. She was hopelessly in love with him already and she knew it.

The Knight, the warrior, the s-class mage, Titania, whos name struck fear into so many, had lost her heart again. It had run into the arms of the Seith Mage beside her and she had no hope of getting it back and she honestly didn't want to. If he didn't accept it, want it, she knew it would shatter and she wouldn't survive it being broken like Jellal had broken it.

She didn't believe Bickslow would do to her what Jellal had, but he'd not said anything about love, or about any future together yet and Erza really wasn't sure they had been together long enough for that anyway. She knew so much about fighting, magic, she even knew a good bit about sex, she'd an affinity for reading steamy things and was now gifted with a Boyfriend who was perfectly willing and enthusiastic about trying anything she wanted to.

But she knew nothing about matters of the heart, and looking around the table, though of everyone there, only maybe Lucy…or Bickslows wise and loving father could be good people to talk about it with. But Lucy wasn't always good at keeping secrets, and Arman was her boyfriends father.

It was hard to know what to do.

Erzas troubled looks she tried to prevent, and hid well, but she wasn't in the kind of company where things could be hidden, and unknown to her, Bickslow noticed her slightly troubled looks and was wondering about them.

Arman noted Erzas straying into moments where she was troubled, and that she kept sneaking looks at his son.

Cobra inwardly groaned and tried to bury himself in Lucys pleasantly baby obsessed mind, and since he was secretly just as obsessed as his mate he was happiest there instead of listening to the Amazon fret about whether or not his ignorant little brother (a concept that still just thrilled him, having brothers) who was head over heels in love with her, cared about her because she was equally in love with him and they were both too ridiculous to realize It or approach the subject. He figured ultimately, he was staying out of it, he had only recently been able to say in vocal words he loved his own mate of more than a year.

Then there was Kaleb, who heard as clear as day every thought that crossed anyones mind if he paid attention. When he saw Erzas troubled look he focused on her and suppressed a smile, looking at Bickslow who was intently listening to Levys ideas about how to handle Lisanna.

His little brother had no idea, had intermittently been worrying about whether or not his Girlfriend took their relationship as seriously as he did, and was afraid to admit he loved her because the last woman he'd told that to had stomped his heart into the pavement, even laughed at how crazy he was for thinking she would ever want a Seith Mage like him for more than just good sex.

So Erza, thinking she was doing a fine job of keeping her insecurities to herself, had no idea how her boyfriends family was already there for her, on her side too. They all liked her, even Emzadi did, and knew what Bickslow was like. Amidst everything else happening, plans started forming to help her too.

Xoxooxxxoxo

Levy emerged from the bathroom smiling. She was a little nervous about the next day, and dealing with Lisanna, but like the others, she felt this was long over do. Lisanna would have a few hours with the women, including Emzadi, and then be brought to the estate to face Natsu and hopefully apologize to him.

Rubbing a towel in her hair she stopped. Gajeel stood by the window looking out at the glittering Grass Sea that was bright under the moonlight, the clouds had broken up and it was beautiful watching the Grass Seas glowing brightness intensify and weaken based on where the clouds separated the plants from the moonlight.

He stood in simple sleep pants, no shirt, the breeze from the window pushing his thick black hair about his shoulders. He was hers, her mate, and they had spent countless hours in bed together. She knew his body well now, where to touch him, how to touch him to reduce him to a growling writhing moaning mass of submission if she wanted to.

Sometimes she did too, he was so big, thick hard muscle under tan skin, metal piercings and that wild mane of black hair. Every inch of him screamed deadly power, but she knew his hands could be gentle, that powerful body could deliver mind shattering pleasure, and those crimson eyes could be heart meltingly warm and loving.

Like now, when he looked from the window at her and she could have just melted into a puddle right where she stood. "I love you." He said softly and she grinned "All this talk about mating and babies is getting to you huh?" Levy teased.

He smirked "I wouldn't mind seeing that sexy little body get all round and heavy with my babies." He told her and she bit her lip, God why was that so incredibly hot to hear? She went from waxing romantic to soaked panties and wanting to jump on him in one sentence from him.

"You want to get me pregnant huh?" She smirked, walking toward him, his eyes narrowed, he loved it when she got all flirty like this. He could feel the dragon in him getting plenty excited about the topic of discussion, and his sleep pants were suddenly snug too.

"Whenever you're ready shrimp….I'll be all too happy to make some babies with you." He replied. It dawned on him then, Cristoff had been talking about this earlier.

With Cobra and Lucy expecting all of the Slayers in the little family they had would feel much stronger needs to reproduce, the mates would crave being pregnant and the males would want to get them that way. "It's natural, in a Dragon Tatsu the females would try to have their clutches around the same time, so they could all work together to raise and protect the young. With Lucy pregnant, all of our mates will be getting serious baby fever and…so will we." He'd warned the men.

Laxus had scoffed, Gajeel had too, he and Levy had talked a couple of times now about having a family. With Fiore secured, allied with Bosco, work abundant removing the remnants of the invasion or cleaning up after it, it was a good time. But everything with Lucy then Cristoff and Wendy being abducted had happened.

Now though, that threat was gone too, permanently and really there was nothing stopping them, he felt like Cristoff did though that ultimately it was his mates decision, it was her body that would be most affected.

"Well…practice makes perfect right?" Levy said, running her fingers up his arm lightly and Gajeel growled, sensing her getting ready then letting her bolt, he honestly could have caught her but he let her run laughing to the far side of the bed, she wouldn't leave their room, she was in nothing but a pair of panties that he was planning to rip off with his teeth in a few minutes.

"I'm going to make you scream Levy…" He rumbled out and she bit her lips, eyes dancing with excitement and humor and just enough lust she was absolutely irresistible to him.

"He stalked her then and she climbed up onto the bed, ready to make a dash in any direction but ultimately he really was far too fast for her so she went a different route, when he lunged she jumped and cast "Solid Script: Bind" And suddenly her growling mate was on his back, bound by a spell to the bed more than a little surprised.

His grinning mate climbed right over the top of him too, straddling him and leaning over him, decidedly gloating.

He strained against it then and Levys eyes widened, Holy Gods watching all that muscle work was just about enough to drive her to the edge.

"Ah ah ah, it's a spell Gajeel, not rope, not metal, you versus my magic…and I've so very well rested and motivated, having my tall…sexy…growly mate all bound to the bed, unable to fight me off or steal control from me…." She purred running her hands over his chest.

He growled again, eyes darkening further, a mixture of lust and prey drive she'd seen before. He was so intensely sexy when he was like this, she loved it, and loved bringing it out of him.

"Let me go and you can still ride me, I'll make it even more fun too.." He promised, trying a different tact than his usual threats that she always seemed to laugh off when they played these kinds of games.

"I'm going to ride you allright…" she hummed, pulling his sleep pants and boxers down his long legs, grinning when his erection came free "whether you help or not… and I am so liking you stretched out like this…" She made a hungry face, biting her lip again, he really did look way too good, arms above his head, stretched diagonally across the large bed. She was running her hands up his thighs, kneeling above him. Shifting slightly she slid down so she was hovering over his cock, smiling up at him.

"Levy…" He breathed and she licked him from base to tip and he growled again, straining against the spell but it was useless, she felt the pull on her magic, but the bed would break before her spell did and she knew Gajeel wouldn't do that in Armans home.

She started licking, kissing, sucking on him and he was panting when she climbed up his body again and finally kissed him. "Let me go Levy…I need you…"He admitted, not above begging at this point. She'd never gotten him quite this good before, she'd managed a few things, she was smart as hell and just knew him so well now, but this, he was almost shaking with need.

She moved again, kneeing over him, stroking his erection and making him hiss through his teeth for a minute before she finally positioned him and sank down on him.

The penetration was slow, she was deliberately keeping him from getting a good thrust too but then she settled on him and he was buried inside her heat and wanted so so badly to flip her over and just pound into her like an animal.

She finally started moving, and while she slid up and down his length she started playing with her breasts and he moaned, just in agony wanting to push her hands away with his mouth and bite those luscious pink buds.

Gajeel could go slow, he was actually good at it, could last a while before need overwhelmed him and he drove for a finish, but this, he'd already been built up by the chase, by her teasing, the talk of having babies. He was doomed there, he wanted a family, wanted it with Levy and had for so long that the idea of it just turned him on in every way.

So the thought she was thinking about it too, that they might do it soon, make babies, the dragon inside him was out of its mind over the idea and he was right there with it. Was it the baby crazy thing caused by Cobra and Lucy? Maybe some, but it really was something he'd dreamed about.

They had a four bedroom home now for a reason. He wanted to fill those rooms.

"Oh Gajeel…I love you…do you really want babies?" She breathed, he was panting raggedly, almost rigid underneath her, unable to move much because of her spell.

"I want them…I want you! I want to move…" He growled and she laughed breathlessly and picked up her pace, driving him further into frustrated pleasure by raking her nails down his chest and dipping down to bite his pec, his collarbone, his shoulder, hard enough to leave marks and he was raggedly groaning, snarling at her when she grabbed his hair and pulled his head to the side so she could bite his neck. She got serious then, teasing him was starting to torture herself and she was pounding down on him soon, hands on his abs, adjusting her legs so she was crouching over him, feet on the bed, able to make intense thrusts now that had him snarling and thrashing until finally he came, and so hard he tore her along with him screaming.

She collapsed on top of him boneless managing to wave a hand and break the spell and was shocked when he instantly moved, lifting her and pressing her onto her back, moving over her, and plunging himself into her fluidly and making her gasp, he threaded his fingers with hers, holding their hands by her head while he pumped into her and she was gasping, groaning, it felt so intensely good and she was so sensitive, left tingling by her last orgasm.

The second came swiftly for both of them and Gajeel cried out when he came, barely able to roll to the side so he didn't crush his dainty mate.

"Oh I …have got to …tie you up more often…" Levy gasped out "That was…incredible…" He breathed, smiling at her, utterly exhausted and deliciously sated.

He'd driven a good bit of his seed deep into that body of hers, it was evident and he was happy with that, so was his dragon, so he pulled his beloved mate into his chest, kissing her a few more times before getting them to the pillows and under the blankets so sleep could take them.


	42. Chapter 42 Baring it all

The Day came and Lisanna was put through her paces mercilessly by a determined Vander. She wasn't just getting better now so she could run a job with him, she was going with a team from White Sea, his own guild, and the three mages she was going with were very well liked, good people.

Cobra had snickered walking past her. "Reeks of the guy with the black and purple hair there." He'd commented quietly before retreating to his training area where Natsu and Cristoff were already waiting.

Kahn, Thessaly and Brice were there, sitting outside the ring to cheer on their new friend. Thessaly had harbored a small crush on the guild masters youngest brother for a while, though he was the same age as her, he'd accomplished so much and while her team mates were good looking well built young men and as a bit of a beauty herself Thessaly could have about anyone she wanted, it was about how difficult Vander was to get as much as anything else that made him attractive.

He was busy, endlessly on missions usually, had a reputation for being a wonderfully skilled beast in bed and the fact he took Steel Council jobs just added to it. So did the tight black clothes he usually wore, made from the shadows he used she had heard.

So Thessaly had more reason than just her new friend to want to watch Lisannas work out that morning.

The Guild Master himself making an appearance toward the end of the first hour. When word got to him a crowd had gathered. It had too, Thessaly and her team weren't alone sitting in the stands over looking the rings. There were at least three dozens mages in the stands, most watching Lisanna and Vander, some watching Natsu against Cristoff and Cobra.

Matsu was learning how to handle area of effect spells that would go off covering an area for an amount of time, so if he got caught in them, or ran through them because he wasn't paying attention, they hurt him.

Cristoff used a few, and Emzadi had two in her arsenal that were fairly lethal, then Cobra could concentrate poisonous gas into rolling clouds that moved around and Natsu was left dodging and trying to keep track of where he was while Cobra and Cristoff both attacked him and tried to push him into things.

Lisanna was using her Racer take over against Vander, she was far from mastering it, but even she knew it was her best and it was fast, agile with several weapons available.

"Pretty much pointy on every end aren't you? It's nice not being able to just walk up and slap you." Vander teased.

Yellow eyes narrowed on him and she crouched, hissing and without warning blew fire at him. He dodged it and she lunged, leaping hoping to land on him but of course she didn't, she did however, for the first time, swirl through some of the black smoke he'd leave when he stepped through shadows.

It was the best she did, catching bits of the lingering shadow, and he wasn't kind to her, he never was, sending her sprawling a few times, crashing her into the barrier more than once too but overall, considering the level mage she was against, she hoped she didn't make too much of a fool of herself.

She heard people gasping and groaning when she would try attacks and Vander would either deflect it, or dodge it and then land a heavy blow on her.

At the end there were respectful applause when she transformed back into her human form and Vander clapped her roughly on the back. "So better, much better actually, daily training, no days off until you leave for the mission after the half day you had yesterday and the half day you're getting today. Now go get cleaned up, you've got two hours before your guildmates come to get you, don't be fucking someone in the steam bath when they get here." He warned with a smirk and nodded to the ring attendant to open the door. Thessaly and the guys came in grinning.

"That was so fun to watch! Did you know Brice is a take over mage too?! Animal just like you! We should train together!" Thessaly cried, looking hopefully at Vander who was removing his bracers and had already ditched the black vest, standing shirtless by the door talking to the Guild Master.

She almost drooled, and Vander smirked, she was pretty, his age and unpromised, all he needed really…

"Lets talk about that, Brice, Kahn, think you can make sure your friend gets showered and ready in two hours? Thessaly will meet you outside the main Hall by then."" He asked, the two young men grinned and Khan and Lisanna were already leering at each other.

Kaleb rolled his eyes "No, trust me, no." He said softly to Vander whose relaxed smile turned into a frown as he looked at Lisanna "Go on, have fun getting cleaned up, apparently brother dear and I will chat with Thessaly."

Neither Vander nor Lisanna cared at all what the other was doing a short time later. Lisanna between two good looking young men in the shower, like Thessaly had been just the day before she thought smiling to herself.

Vander and Kaleb discussed Lisanna temporarily being assigned to Team Thessaly with the woman in charge of it and what the Guild Master would expect of Thessaly and her team while they had the Fairy Tail member with them.

Xoxxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

The shopping districts in Pelerno general were fun, the fashion district in Aisliss, which was around the Sky port in the heart of the sprawling capital, were absolutely incredible.

Lisanna was thrilled to be with her guild mates, Levy, Lucy, Cana, Emma and Erza. The one she wasn't the least bit pleased about though was Emzadi.

The woman was…a damn woman. Curvy, a damn hourglass figure with lush deep golden hair that was a little darker than Lucys and bore streaks of red in it. Comfortable in her little red and white outfit with the customary Boscan chain on her forehead she was stunning, orange eyes were like looking into a sunrise and her smooth skin was that deep Boscan tan with a few tattoos here and there.

She was too pretty, too clever, her breasts were too big, her lips were too plump and way too red, her hair was too long, the list of flaws went on and on for Lisanna.

Plus, as they sat down at the table they had reserved at a nice restaurant just outside, Emzadi wasted no time.

"I do not play games, no rumors, no giggling behind hands or making veiled threats like most women seem prone to do. Lisanna, Natsu is mine now. You will stop pursuing him." The orange eyes were deadly, fiery, and until that moment, Lisanna had been relaxed, unhappy being around the woman Natsu seemed to be tangled up with, but after an hour in the shower with Brice and Khan lavishing bone melting mind numbing attention on her and two very satisfying orgasms later she had been feeling calm.

She was still in a state of heavy confusion about Natsu and her feelings for him. To say she had now been fully initiated into the sensual side of Boscan culture wuld be an understatement. After an early movie, dinner and a couple hours at a Boscan night club the group had gone to Thessalys condo a few blocks from the Guild and Lisanna had been the center of the groups activities all night long.

She was grateful Gaza had made her down a bitter tasting potion after dinner the night before, grinning and explaining "Khan and Brice are young healthy men dear girl, you'll be swelling with babies in no time if you don't take this monthly while you're here. Your choice of course, I know some women come to Bosco for vacations from Fiore just for that reason, but I'm told you were supposed to go home hymen intact so I doubt you want that." She had chuckled and Lisanna had sighed and downed it.

She was glad she had. If Thessaly managed to negotiate things with the Master of White Sea like she'd said she wanted to, Lisanna was hopefully going to be spending a lot more time with the team and she was already very much attached to Khan. Brice was good, fun, warm and handsome, but Khan was just that little bit more…sexy, and he'd been her first, something that was significant to Lisanna.

In spite of that, Natsu was still hovering in her heart somehow. She'd spent literally years trying to let it go, but when Lucy had fallen out of the way into Cobras arms it was like some sort of tidal wave of desperate need had flooded over Lisanna.

She could fix everything, mend the broken ties, the disconnection she'd felt since returning from Edolas if she could just have Natsu, he was the puzzled pirce that kept everything from fitting again like it had.

She'd had this idea she wanted everything like it was before she had been taken to Edolas, that if she could do just get Natsu in place she could some how go back in time and take up where she had left off and Edolas would fade from her mind, the other Mira and Elfman she knew were mourning her leaving, who had lost their Lisanna for real to death would stop haunting her and all the things she had seen, the deaths, torturing, atrocities would all fade.

Laxus and the Raijinshuu were not good people in Edolas, they were mercenaries, nasty ones. They served whoever paid best and Bickslow was known well for being a sadistic, horrifically cruel assassin. She'd been the focus of one of his drunken visits to Fairy Tail, and while her virginity had technically remained, he'd taken everything else, telling her after he was done he'd only left that bit in tact because he might still steal her away and sell her into the slavery, he hadn't decided.

Laxus had helped him, Freed had watched the whole thing, making horrid comments and suggestions while the two larger men had pleasured themselves torturing her.

Returning to Fairy Tail in Earthland, being around the versions of them that she knew were good men that would die rather than harm her had caused a mental rift to start forming in Lisanna.

The fighting on Tenrou, then Tartaros, it had made it worse and the need to get Natsu into place, knowing she couldn't because of Lucy had been ripping her head apart.

If Natsu was just hers like he had been before Edolas, it would all be Ok.

But one day she'd said something, she didn't know what it had been but Laxus had been there at the bar and heard her, it was right after Lucy and Cobra had become mated and she'd been mad at Mira for something, had said something hateful to her.

"Knock it off Lisanna, I'm about done hearing you whine." He'd snapped at her, angry she was being abusive toward her sister.

Usually she would have given him a hateful look and gone on about her business, she really had been spoiled rotten by that point, but the Laxus in Edolas had said that while she'd been forced to her knees and he was using her and she'd gaged on him and whimpered. "I'm about done hearing you whine like that." He'd sneered at her.

She'd almost forgotten it by then, but seeing his angry scowl, hearing the threat in his tone, even knowing this Laxus would never even think to hurt her that way, that he'd kill anyone who did, she'd just cracked a little more and the desperation had overwhelmed her to lock that last puzzle piece that was Natsu into place.

She'd had no idea how to do it, so had tried all manner of insane things. And with no real friends, and the guilt of being with the Earthland Mira and Elfman knowing the Edolas versions missed her, and having never told a soul what she'd been through in Edolas beyond just losing her magic, she really had gone a little insane.

Everything with Thessaly, Khan and Brice though, discovering her magic again in a whole new way, the excitement of being in the massive beautiful bustling capital city of Bosco and in a huge powerful guild like White Sea. Everything was fresh, new, so different it was like she could breathe for the first time, no Mira, no Elfman, no constant reminders of all she had been through.

Even working with Vander, who's endless disdain for her obsessions and ruthless merciless pressure on her to grow up and embrace her magic, every bruise, every time he didn't pull a punch because she was precious Lisanna, had started tearing away the insanity that had been gripping her.

She'd hated being kept from everyone else, but she knew now it was good that she had, even the short time she'd been away from them all had helped, no Bickslow, Laxus or Freed to remind her, to prod at her mental rifts unknowingly.

She couldn't tell the people here what the ones in Edolas had done, she knew they weren't those people, she didn't want to horrify them, make everything harder. It had made the burden heavy for her but she'd clung to it anyway. Feeling she deserved it somehow because Edolas Mira and Elf had loved her, and now suffered because she'd chosen Earthland over them. Mira and Elf in Earthland came first, and she felt horrible about that.

She'd felt though like a woman, grown, free, for the first time ever in Khans arms in that steam room. No need to be cute, to be the girl that was stolen, to wallow in guilt or fantasy because Khan felt so good, the intimacy, the passion, the pleasure had been so right and so real and so incredibly grounding. He didn't know the Lisanna before Edolas, he didn't care, why would he? None of the people here did, she was just who she wanted to be around them and they accepted that, Khan, Brice and Thessaly more than accepted her, they embraced her, the Lisanna she wanted to be.

She had friends, normal, wonderful, bright happy friends, and a lover in Khan, one that enjoyed her exactly as she was and cared about nothing else, just the basic passionate woman who worshipped his body as much as he did hers when they were together and there was no baggage, no expectations, no preconceived notions, who she wanted them to know was totally up to her and it was so freeing.

But now she was surrounded by Fairy Tail, Cana, Erza, Levy, Lucy and Emma. Each one in their own way putting the strain of all she bore on her, tearing at the calm she'd gotten in the showers with Brice and Khan, the feeling of accomplishment and normalcy even being beaten soundly by Vander in the practice ring, he'd still acknowledged she had improved, complimented her choice of a take over.

The woman who would take Natsu and make sure Lisanna could never complete the puzzle that would anchor her in Earthland mentally, provide a shield against the memories of Edolas, or so her rankled brain believed, was burning her eyes with blazing fiery orange ones.

"I…I can't…as long as I'm in Fairy Tail…I need him…" She said grappling between fury, despair and desperation in that moment. She had no comforts here, not even a hateful glaring Vander who, in spite of himself, grounded her now with his completely inflexible, solid determination and demand she stop being crazy.

Everyone, including Emzadi blinked at that, it was an incredibly strange thing to say.

"What…what does that even mean Lisanna?" Levy asked, shaking her head, confused. The girl spouted randomness a lot, was erratic and petulant on her best days, but that was weird.

"So what, if you weren't in Fairy Tail he wouldn't matter?" Cana asked incredulously. Lisanna glared at the table top, trying to keep her head straight, she had friends now, less than an hour ago she had been laying on a bench in the locker room kissing Khan while Brice had his face between her legs and it had been glorious. The memory soothed her, so basic, primal, rooted in pleasures that ran deep.

"That's right, I…I have reasons…reasons I need him in order to be happy, in order to live there. See everyone every day. If I go back I have to have him." She said, and that she knew was right.

"IF?! What do you mean "IF" you go back Lisanna, what the hell are you talking about? You've been in Bosco for a few days and you're what, thinking of staying?!" Lucy asked incredulously, as confused as the others.

Lisanna couldn't look at them, her hold on her mind was shaky, her calm was already fractured by Emzadi, a woman whose existence, if she really was Natsus Dragon Chosen mate, meant Lisanna could never hope to hold on to happiness in her home because she could never have Natsu.

"Lisanna, how can you say these things? How can you be like this? I was there, I watched you with Natsu as a child, he never loved you that way, never, only as a friend ever, I know you had some childhood fantasy about marrying him one day but it was just a fantasy in your childhood, you have to know he could never be with you like that, he's never wanted that with you, I know you both so well and I'm telling you, you have to stop and let that idea go." Erza said firmly.

Lisanna glared at her, seeing a hicky on the older womans neck and knowing who had put it there.

"What would you know? You're fucking Bickslow, does this one like it when you suck his ear lobe? Does he like having you rub his nuts while you suck him off?" She snarled.

The gasp around the table was nearly in unison, Erzas eyes flew wide in horrified shock and then started filling with tears. Lucy however narrowed her eyes "What do you mean "This one"…" she demanded, that detail hadn't gotten past her. She knew, knew without a doubt Lisanna hadn't been with Bickslow, at least…not since she'd returned from Edolas, that would have never escaped any of the Dragon Slayers, especially not Laxus who was around the Seith too much to miss it.

"The one in Edolas, he liked shit like that, was into all sorts of kinky shit, so don't you talk to me about what you know Erza, you're fucking a nightmare!" Lisanna snarled.

Erza narrowed her eyes, "My Bickslow is no nightmare Lisanna, our Bickslow here is kind, gentle, a loving man with a happy personality and a love for jokes and laughter. I do not know the Edolas Bickslow, I never even saw him while we were there." She said in a shaking voice. The idea, the mental image of Lisanna with her boyfriend…it absolutely horrified Erza. She knew he'd slept with Cana, Cana had even told her a few things to try with him, but Lisannas hateful, haunted look when she'd said that…It wasn't HER Bickslow though, but the idea…

"Wait, you're a fucking VIRGIN Lisanna! You've told Mira that, Wendy even examined you and would know if you weren't, how the fuck would you know anything about what the Edolas Bickslow was like in the sack?" Cana demanded. She didn't like at all the comparing of their Bickslow to the one in Edolas, and if Lisanna was fucking guys in Edolas, how the hell was she still a virgin and why would she call them nightmares?!

"Because him and the Raijinshuu in Edolas were murdering mercenaries, they would come around Fairy Tail whenever a lot of our people were out working jobs, they would grab whatever women they could, if you were a virgin, you got to do blowjobs and….anything else that didn't take your virginity, I was a lucky one being a virgin, if I hadn't been they would have been worse with me! They were nightmares! All of them!" She screamed the last, brimming now with fury, anger, frustration.

"But Lisanna…that was in Edolas…the Raijinshuu here…they're good men…they would never do something…" Levy started and Lisanna turned on her

"I REALIZE THAT! You don't think I know that?! But you have no idea what it's been like! Having to see them, being reminded all the time, then Mira and Elf…the ones I left in Edolas were heartbroken, they put on a good face but you know the Raijinshuu KILLED their Lisanna!? They tried to protect me but they had to work, and Bickslow…he always knew somehow when to be there waiting…" Lisanna shuddered.

Lucy stood and went to Lisanna and pulled the stiff shaking young woman into a firm hug, looking up, seeing Vander approaching them. He'd been sent to follow them, Lucy knew, just in case things went south with Lisanna, he was able to stop Emzadi, knew how, so he'd been nearby, watching, listening, he was better at that than anyone else.

"So going back…I have to have Natsu…if I had him it would be like it was before Edolas, and it would be ok, I wouldn't be so scared, so angry all the time, I just know…." Lisanna was saying, glaring at Emzadi.

"You can't take him from me! He's the only thing in my life that can bring back what I was before Edolas! I've tried everything else!" She cried. Emzadis eyes were unflinching, calm, she didn't react, seeing her brother approaching.

She couldn't hold malice toward this sad woman, it wasn't in her. This woman was broken almost to the point of no repair.

Lucy moved and Lisanna saw Vander, eyes widening. Vander grounded her, he was art of Bosco, part of White Sea, part of the world here that felt so good and safe.

"The fuck Princess? I let you out of my sight for a visit with your lady friends and you go nuts on me? No good sales on anti bitch cream?" He asked flippantly, smirking at her. She glared at him.

"I…fuck you Vander." She snapped.

"She grabbed her arms when she started to whirl to face the women again, making her look at him.

"No I think you're done, I think they get the picture and I do too. So you're going to turn around, apologize to your friends for being a temporary bitch ok? Then we're going back to the guild, you're going to sit down with Master Kaleb and I and we're going to set you up with an extended Visa, put you into team Thessaly for a while. You need a break from Fairy Tail, a break from Magnolia and everything familiar so you can get your fucking head straight." He said.

Lisanna blinked at him, more time with Thessaly, Brice and…Kahn, Gods she liked Khan. More time working on her transformation, maybe learning another, studying in the guild…White Sea…not Fairy Tail…

"But…Mira and Elf…" She said softly, confused, fury suddenly rushing out of her as she looked at Vander.

"They can come visit, Kaleb can probably even get them on an airship here since you'll stay at this branch because Team Thessaly is based here. You already have an apartment, we can just make your stay longer, come on, apologize to your friends ok?" He prodded "Don't make me kick your damn ass for it…"

Lisanna gave him a familiar glare, she wasn't shaking anymore, her eyes were dilated and darting around either.

She turned, suddenly sad, "I…I'm sorry." She said.

"Good girl, come on, Khan is in the gym at the guild getting a work out in, if we hurry you can catch the shit in the shower…" He smirked and Lisanna smiled, following him as he took her away.

Lucy sat back down, they all stared after Lisanna with various looks of pity, sadness, confusion, frustration.

"Why didn't she say anything?..." Levy said, voice trailing off.

"What would she say? Being around the Earthland versions of Edolas monsters was driving her crazy? She already knew the men here weren't the same, weren't like the Edolas ones…but seeing them, Gods and Bickslow is such a friendly flirty thing too…" Lucy breathed.

"He would never…" Erza said

"No! Of course not Erza, our Bixy is a sweet heart! He'd destroy any man who did things like that, so would Laxus and Freed, but they can't help looking, sounding, like their Edolas counterparts…" Lucy said.

"And worrying still about the Edolas Mira and Elfman that miss her…" Levy blinked, tears running down her face.

Wendy was crying too and soon all of the women except Erza and Emzadi were crying softly over their drinks.

"Mira and Elfman need to know all of this…" Erza said quietly

"One of us should call Master Makarov…tell him, see how he wants to break it to Mira and Elfman because this is going to be hard on them…" Levy said.

"I'll call the Master, we should go back to the estate…I want to tell Bickslow, so if he sees her he knows to give her space, not tease her or be playful like he always is." Erza said, rising and pulling her com from her purse.

"I'll call the car." Emma offered, pulling out her own com, like Erza she was anxious to talk to Laxus about this, he needed to know so he could be careful, he was still going to the guild to train with Natsu…

"Lucy…will you talk with Natsu? You know him better than I still…" Emzadi said softly.

Lucy smiled "Yeah, as soon as he gets in, I'll talk to him…"

"You know, Kaleb is a mind reader, Bickslow sees into souls, Cobra can hear them, it's just amazing nobody caught any of this…" Levy said.

"Her mind is in chaos, did you see her eyes? I'd bet her head, soul, everything is a mess." Wendy said quietly.

After Erza and Emma returned they left to return to the estate, each woman quiet, lost in her thoughts.

Erza was trying to figure out what to tell Bickslow, how to explain this. It wasn't his fault, not in the slightest, but his counterpart in Edolas had done terrible damage to Lisanna and he had to know.

Lucy was planning what she would say to Natsu and to question Cobra and see if he'd ever had a hint what was happening in Lisannas head.

Emzadi was staring at the floor. A woman crazed by trauma had latched onto the man who was to be her mate, seeing him like some sort of life boat in a mental sea of anguish. She knew Natsu was a good man, light hearted, strong and thoughtful when given the time to be, but he'd made such a powerful impression on Lisanna that when her mind was struggling to remain intact, she'd seen him as the key to it.

To Emzadi, it spoke powerfully of the kind of man Natsu was, and she was more than ever, anxious to make him hers, praying harder than ever that she…didn't take such a precious person from this world…

Xoxoxooxoxoxoxoxo

Vander took Lisanna back to the guild, sending her to the showers to wash her face and find Khan "Come to Master Kalebs office in 2 hours ok?" He told her and she nodded, heading to the shower room with a smile that seemed to serene after how she had been just a short time ago.

He barged into Kalebs office without knocking, pretty typical for him, and Kaleb always hated it. The Guild Master looked up and glared at him, Thane at his side, two members sitting across his desk from him, new members, since Kaleb rose and went around his desk carrying the guild seal.

Once he put the guild marks on their new Wizards he had Thane take them to show them to quarters and looked at Vander expectantly.

"They can't be done already." Kaleb frowned.

Vander sighed, sitting on the desk "Yeah, well, Lisanna was, stick a fork in her…holy shit is that woman mentally done." He said, then described to Kaleb all that had happened, what Lisanna had revealed and Kaleb sat heavily in his chair, not even caring anymore Vander was sitting on the new guild members paperwork.

"So you think she should stay here?" He asked.

Vander shrugged "She been getting better, less bratty, especially when she's around Thessaly and her team she gets almost normal. It's like her head can't handle the constant reminders of all she's been through back home, I don't know! Gods, we need to get a fucking head specialist in for her or something, why didn't YOU pick up any of this?!" Vander asked.

Kaleb frowned, he'd never really focused much on Lisanna except when she'd been training with Vander and then all he got was a steady stream of vulgar cursing about Vander being an asshole. Then he paused, the first time, when she had seen Bickslow running Natsu through his paces, pushing the Fire Slayer so hard and she'd all but attacked Vander about it…

She'd been thinking Bickslow was a monster and a killer, that he'd find a way to hurt or kill Natsu and Kaleb had blown it off as her just exaggerating because she was obsessed with Natsu, which she was. Now though…it had meant more, he just couldn't see past her surface crazy to what was causing it…

"I'll talk to Father, he probably knows someone we can get in, and I'll speak to Makarov. Her family at home needs to know about this but I do agree with you, I think she's best off here for now. She feels normal here, safe, when they were asking if she could work with team Thessaly she was no different than any other young woman, and Khan seems to be a good influence on her, very calming." Kaleb sighed.

"Yeah well, I said from the start the little bitch needed to get laid." Vander pointed out with a smirk.

Kaleb rolled his eyes "Well, it's done her some good, not surprising to us but I don't know how her family will take it."

There was a knock at the door and Kaleb smiled faintly "There she is, Khans with her." He said as Vander stood to open the door.

The pair stepped in and Kaleb drew a breath.

"Lisanna I still need to get final permission from Makarov but I'd like to offer you an extended Visa. It would allow you to stay her for up to a year. You can keep the apartment assigned to you, work and train with Team Thessaly. Improve, get stronger, study, this is the home of Take Over magic, it really is the best place for you to reconnect with it." Kaleb said and Lisanna was smiling, exchanging a look with Khan who grinned.

"I'd really love that." She said "I feel…safe, almost at home here more than I do in Magnolia…Thank You for doing this for me."

Kaleb nodded "I'm going to set up sessions with a special trainer twice a week for you Lisanna, I have to make the arrangements still, but I'll have Gaza inform you when it's done. Our top animal Take Over mage is a man named Soren, he is based in White Sea at our guilds home, but he comes here to Pelerno several times a year and is planning to come for 6 weeks, should be here in a few days, You'll have sessions scheduled to work with him too. If Makarov approves the extension, I will put White Seas symbol on you and you will be one of our own while you are here. Does that sound acceptable?" Kaleb asked and Lisanna smiled at Khan, nodding quickly "Yes!"

Kaleb nodded. "Very well, you're dismissed, Come see me tomarrow after your training, I should have everything sorted out by then." He told her and the pair rose, "Wait, Khan, sit, Lisanna, you can wait outside we'll just be a minute." Vander said, ushering a now frowning Lisanna out of the office while Khan sat back down looking confused.

As soon as the door closed and he knew the sound seals were locked Vander looked at Khan darkly. "That girl has been through hell, you need to know that, so I want no light hearted shit around her, you get me?" He demanded.

Khan smiled and Kaleb snickered "Khan is an empath Vander, a strong one, uses telekinetic magic, he's actually studying to be what we're hoping father can find an s-class or better of for her. I'm sure he probably knew from the beginning better than we ever did what was happening with Lisanna."

Vander frowned "Well fuck…" He breathed, Khan shrugged "I know what she's dealing with, I know how…chaotic her head is…it's what drew me to her in the first place, what made me want her. She fights it, struggles, she's really pretty brave under it all. I won't hurt her, I knew what I was probably getting into when Thessaly started talking to her and suggested I help her in the shower. I made my choices then, Master…Vander, I'll be really thrilled to work with anyone you get to help her, I'd love the opportunity, and…I'd like to keep going with what we're doing…I really honestly do like her." Khan offered and Vander let out a slow breath, pushing a hand through his hair and looking at Kaleb who smiled at him.

"Keep doing what you've been doing Khan. Best get out to her, she's worrying we're going to tell you something and ruin your opinion of her." Kaleb said and Khan grinned "She does that a lot. Thank you Master, Vander. " He bowed to both men and left, sweeping Lisanna up into a firm hug and breathtaking kiss as soon as he reached her.

Kaleb was already dialing Makarov as Vander sat heavily in the chair Khan had just vacated.

A few hours later Cana looked up from the book she was reading, she lay on he stomach across Kalebs bed in the room he'd grown up in reading a book Arman had let her borrow on the history of White Sea.

Kaleb looked tired, but still, like he always did, made her breath catch when he caught her eyes and smiled. "You didn't have to wait up." He said, pulling his shirt off and tossing it in the hamper by the door. Cana bit her lip, she absolutely loved that Kaleb preferred sleeping nude. Made getting the good morning sex she liked starting her day with very easy to initiate.

When she would wake during the night, she often would end up waking him, he never seemed to mind, never complained when she would start running her hands over him, toss the blankets off of his tall body and start waking up his cock, knowing the rest of him would be quick to follow.

Slacks and underwear followed the shirt into the hamper and he stretched muscles that had spent too much of the day tense before coming to the bed. Cana had shoved the book aside as soon as the last of his clothes came off and when he'd stretched she'd moaned softly, drawing a smile to his face.

He loved her, had even gotten comfortable with the idea, Guild Masters in Bosco were expected to be married, just like any part of the upper crust of society he was expected to take a wife. While he teased his brothers about all the offers their father got for them the truth was once he'd been named the successor to the Mastery of White Sea, his father had told him offers on him went from dozens to hundreds, many from women he had never even met, families who had never spoken a word to him or even visited the White city.

He'd not mentioned any of it to Cana, content just having her come this far with him, but he knew he needed to soon. Kurino hadn't been happy losing her 5 days with him even when it had resulted in the downfall of the Allsaidian monarchy in Seven.

She wanted to win him, had told him the last time he and Cristoff had both been brought to attend her together she meant to have one of them as her husband. She could not force them to marry her, she'd already tried to get her father to amend that law, she could pressure them into sex, and truthfully even that they could deny, though it would put a strain on their father, on their family name if they frustrated the Crown.

Arman had told them if they truly didn't want to serve the Princess, he would deal with the political back lash, but even Farron, who was becoming as decorated a diplomat as their father, would attend the Princess when she called on him, and of all of them, he could handle that backlash himself without it reaching their father, he had enough influence in the court.

She didn't want to marry Farron though, he was too polished, too at ease in the world she travelled. She wanted a Guild mage, and most of all, a young Guild Master. Named Master at 20, Kaleb had been at the helm of White Sea for 5 years now, the first two with the retired Master still helping him. He was the youngest mage to ever run White Sea, and the youngest Guild Master in Bosco.

If it weren't for the Princess hanging over him, he'd honestly not be thinking about any of it, content to finally have a woman who challenged him, fascinated him, excited him, all of the things Cana did, all that she was to him he really wanted to take his time and enjoy, without pressures to advance the relationship faster than it naturally went, which really was pretty quick considering they had sex the same day he'd first talked to her.

To him, being Boscan, that wasn't too significant, he'd had sex with women he'd just met before, in fact, in many cases the women had gone out of their way and made a real effort to meet him just for that purpose, also, normal for Boscans. But he knew it was significant in Fiore.

In Fiore, Cana wasn't normal, was viewed badly for being so free with herself, but in Bosco, she was a catch, bold, challenging, beautiful and intelligent. She fit right in, and she certainly fit into Kalebs life. She drank a lot, something he knew had become compulsive for her, but she wasn't hard to divert, she had a very lusty hungry libido, and as long as he kept up with it, she stuck to lighter things, wine, beer, instead of harder liquors because she simply didn't want to be too wasted to enjoy her time with him.

She needed soft handling, a lot of compliments, assurance, and he didn't mind that. High maintenance he could deal with, she was worth the effort, watching her smile, seeing her relaxed, content, eyes sharp instead of dulled by booze because she wanted to participate and was confident he wanted her to in what happened each day, it mattered to him and made the effort to make time for her, include her in everything he could, worth it.

"So, I talked to Freed for a while…he's upset, like the others he has no idea how to handle this but doesn't want to be a cause of pain for Lisanna." She told him, eyes travelling over him as he came to the bed and slid onto it next to her.

"They're going to have to tread lightly, she's stretched thin. I talked with Makarov for a long time tonight, we've agreed both guild will do all they can for her but she needs to stay here. I was on the com while he pulled Mira and Elfman into his office and broke the news to them…it hit them hard." He sighed and layed on his back, Cana sliding over him, laying across his chest, peering down into tired lavender eyes and stealing a few soft kisses that made him smile.

"We all agree she needs a break from familiar things that cause her to get caught in traumatic memories, so her Visa has been extended to a year. Father has lined up a mage that works for the consulate, double s-class ranked who handles cases of PTSD and such related mostly to magical combat experiences but he's done a lot of work with rape and abuse victims. He's going to meet Lisanna day after tomarrow." He said.

Cana nodded and he kissed her before continuing "She'll stay with the team she's made friends with, the man she's been having sex with happens to be a pretty skilled empath, and he's going to talk with the consulate mage after Lisanna meets him, I'm making sure limits, boundaries, all of it are laid out clearly, it's dumb luck Lisanna met team Thessaly in that shower room, but I think it was really good luck too. Those three are good people, they'll all want to help her, be there for her, Khan has already said he would be and he understood he couldn't handle her lightly and was fine with that."

Cana shifted better over Kalebs body, spreading her legs and smiling, rolling her hips and satisfied when he closed his eyes and hummed in approval, hands grasping her hips.

"All fires out for the day, time to think about other, less complicated things…like fucking your girlfriend." She said, kissing him.

"Mmm, you don't want anything complicated tonight huh?" He smiled against her lips and she shook her head, dark eyes lusty and playful. "Nope, I just want this body of yours all hot and sweaty making me scream…" she purred and he grinned, pushing a hand into her thick hair and pulling her head to the side so he could nip at her neck.

"Sounds perfect." He agreed.

A while later, her throat a little sore from the screaming she'd wanted that he seemed very talented at drawing out of her, they were lazily kissing, hands drifting over their still heated skin.

"I don't want Kurino asking for you anymore." She said.

Kaleb pulled back, eyes losing their lazy dazed and sated look and sharpening on hers. "I can't really deny her, the political backlash for my family would be too much." He said seriously.

"What if we were promised to each other?" Cana asked, she couldn't hide the nervous look, knew better anymore, he'd just read her thoughts and know she was nervous, that she was afraid she was pushing too much too fast and didn't want to scare him or pressure him but damn it she hated the idea of another woman having him now, especially one that was into whips and pain.

"She can't ask anything of me if I'm promised to you…but Cana, I know I told you it's a light legal bond easy to break but it's still serious, not something to do for convenience. You…need to mean it, mean that you really want to work toward more with me, engagement, marriage, the whole thing, are you ready to say you want that some day?" He asked.

She drew a breath, "Fuck it…" she said, and slid off the bed, going to her side of the dresser and pulling out a box she sat it on the bed and he frowned, rolling to his side and opening it his eyes widened. One of the Boscan chained wrist bands sat inside, Canas birthstone in the center of it.

"Cana…" She'd done it, she'd officially shorted him out with that, he couldn't string thoughts together right now. She knew what it meant, when Wendy had bought the one Cristoff wore his father had spent a while over dinner that night explaining it to the Fiorans who didn't know what it really was, and Emzadi had been very very serious about it when they had been out shopping. Encouraging Wendy to buy one for her brother, explaining the depth of what it meant in Boscan culture when men wore them.

She had pointed out how many more wedding bands were seen than the chained wrist bands. Cana had thought about it and loved the whole idea so much, a man not just committing to his wife but to his family, wearing something that showed he was devoted to raising a family, how proud he was of his commitments.

She had gone back into the store as the women had gotten absorbed in the lingerie store next to it and bought one, praying one day she would put it on Kaleb. She'd never meant to show him, meant to keep it as a secret reminder to herself of the dreams she was indulging in now, dreams she'd never had before, the kind she'd once scoffed at if she was honest.

"I guess you really mean it…" Kaleb breathed, completely taken aback, he knew she understood what this meant, the significance of it, she'd asked as many questions of his father as Lucy, who was planning a Boscan wedding ceremony and had been studying them with Cobra. Lucy already had an engagement ring, that Cobra had gotten her the morning after they had learned they were to be parents.

Their ceremony was happening on Christmas, and Lucy had already bought one of the chained bands for Erik that the Poison Slayer had admitted he was more than delighted to wear, anxious to add the gems of their twins as soon as they were born to it, Erik was beyond happy to show his pride in his family.

Cana leaned in to kiss him and he pulled her back onto the bed with him, deepening the kiss and holding her tightly against him until she was breathless.

"I want to wear that one day…" He growled against her ear and she shuddered, pulling back to smile at him "Promise?"

He grinned, double meaning not lost on him "I promise." He chuckled and kissed her again.

"So we'll talk to father about it tomarrow, and you keep that band safe…I plan to earn it." He told her.

She grinned, showering him with kisses then before getting more aggressive, adding bites and licks until he was suddenly inside her and they were both beyond talking anymore.

He hadn't rejected her, hadn't been put off or intimidated, she could scarcely believe how happy she was, how perfectly he fit her, handled all of her sudden impulsiveness with such ease and calm. She hesitated, pulling back and staring into his eyes as soon as he opened them questioningly.

"I can still have you with another man right? I mean…priorities, you've spoiled me…" She said breathlessly and he laughed, bucking his hips into her and making her gasp. "Right now you ask this? Yes! Damn it, it isn't illegal if we both consent, even when we're married if we agree to bring someone to our bed this is Bosco, YES, Gods…I'll have to arrange that again wont I?" He grinned down at her and she nodded vigorously.

"Gods yes…I need that from time to time…" she grinned. "Yeah? Maybe I'll get Vander in here…" he gave her a dangerous look and her eyes flew wide at that idea.

"Seriously? You'd kiss your brother?" She asked, imagining how intense that would be. He made a face "Ugh…ok, no…you really liked that huh? Me kissing the other man?"

Cana bit her lip, she would not be ashamed of her kinks damn it. "Yes…hot as hell…" She said firmly.

He nodded, kissing her, maintaining a slower pace as he watched her thoughtfully "Not my brother then, we've teamed up on women before, I've done it with all of my brothers honestly, even Farron once, usually group encounters, not a common thing but it happens. I won't kiss any of them though…no…too far, it's one thing to share a woman, another to cross that line. No…I know a few guild members though…I'd kiss them, not much more, if it turns you on." He was kissing her neck and hearing him talk about it was driving her crazy.

"I admit…I'd forgo the kissing part for a piece of Vander." She admitted and Kaleb laughed again "We'll see."

"Now…lets see how much more I can make you scream…" He growled and she shrieked as he yanked her up from the bed into his lap as he sat back onto his knees, driving up into her at a new angle that had his name on her lips with each thrust.

Dawn was still hours away and he suddenly wasn't as tired as he had been anymore.

Xoxooxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

A/N As seems usual for me lately I'm already into 43 as I'm posting this. I hope I'm not losing everyone, trying to keep things clear. Lisannas mental mess is tough to write. I train Service Dogs in real life for PTSD, Altheimers, Autism etc assistance and I've spent more time than I like to think about going over how people minds get injured by what life can dish out. It's a fact sex helps our bodies in a lot of ways, helps our heads too, the release of chemicals in the brain during good sex is something every drug company in the world would love to even hint at being able to reproduce. I hope I made it clear how Lisanna is so torn up, I hate to say it, but putting the character in this light makes her seem better to me than the squeaky sing song voiced half worshipped brat she seems like in the series/manga. No love for the character, but I can almost appreciate maybe she deserves some attention if she'd actually endured more than just being somewhere else for a while. Until 43…..DESNA


	43. Chapter 43 Tame the sun

The days flowed by more easily then. Lissana stayed in the city with her team at the guild, training, and Vander left for a couple of days on an emergency job for the Steel Council that had arrived in a sealed case chained to a very unpleasant looking guard so Kaleb said nothing, letting him go.

Natsu was improving fast, days spent being driven by determined friends and Emzadis family followed by dinners and the precious time afterwards in the company of the group that included her.

He longed so much to get time alone with her but knew that wasn't possible, not anymore, not when he wanted her so badly he was physically suffering when he wasn't distracted by his training.

Bickslow sat down heavily beside him in the Guild Hall, blue and black hair hanging damp over his eyes. The last couple of days had been hanging heavily on him, the whole thing with Lisanna was difficult for him to deal with. He'd never once thought his teasing, flirting, anything else could do harm, thought it was clear if anyone really wanted him to back off they had only to say so, Lisanna had never said anything, had just always stiffened and cursed at him, turned red and stormed off. He didn't tease her often, she was too prickly for him but evey now and then he had.

He felt bad about every single time too. Wondering how much she suffered for it, but still angry she'd never said anything to anyone, not even her brother and sister. Someone, if she'd talked to anyone she could have avoided it all, saved herself years of isolated misery.

Now her relationships in the guild were in shreds, Natsu honestly and for good reason wanted nothing to do with her even understanding better why she'd latched on to him like she had.

He patted Natsus back as the Slayer pushed food around his plate.

"Eat Natsu, gotta keep your strength up, you're almost there. You'll take on Kaleb tomarrow and if you can survive him, well, Emzadi isn't a fucking Wizard Saint." He chuckled.

Kaleb was a powerhouse, he didn't show it, and Bickslow knew Natsu had no idea just what exactly he was facing so, once the barmaid brought him his own lunch and tall frosted mug, he looked at Natsu.

"You know what he is right?" He prodded. Natsu drew a breath, he was pining, he knew it, showered and the heat of training gone from his flesh he always started brooding about Emzadi. He refocused, giving Bickslow his attention.

"Holy Judgement mage, I get he like, bathed or soaked in some sort of light when he was younger and that's why his hair and stuff turned light, Judgement means he uses heavy hitting attacks based in holy power and the light makes it hit even harder." Natsu said.

"He was locked into a cylinder that was flooded with immaculate light for three days two nights. It's actually a standard induction into the Royal order of knights in Bosco, Vander and Cristoff have both been through it too." Bickslow told him.

Natsu frowned "Then why do they both still have dark hair and dark eyes?"

"Because unlike them, Kalebs whole being took the light in, absorbed it without reservation, so his dark hair turned light, eyes lightened, all of the tattoos he had when he went in even turned white. He can channel that light and it hits hard Natsu, harder than Emzadis fire will, the Boscan magic council doesn't hand out Wizard Saint titles lightly, its why we only have fucking 5 of them even though there are 10 slots just like in every countries council. Kaleb hits like a train, he's fast, he's a deadly fighter, efficient. He wont take time messing with you, when you two start he'll fucking shut your lights out as fast as he can. He's easier to fight up close, he still has nasty attacks for hand to hand, but he's a lot like Emzadi, you're safest fighting him at close range because his ranged shit will fucking kick your ass. So you need to close distance fast and get him pinned, you wont have to hold him long, which is good because, much as I like ya Natsu, you won't hold him long, he's too fucking strong, I don't even know if Laxus could do it, though I know those two have been sorta hedging around maybe having a match like Erza and Vander have been." Bickslow sighed.

His girlfriend had found out how good his baby brother was with swords and been bucking for a match with him. He didn't like the idea, he really didn't know which one would come out on top, Erza was incredibly talented, practiced, and her determination and will to win had always been incredible. Vander was competitive, cocky, but also a strategist, he couldn't match Erza magic for magic, but with his brand of magic he didn't need to.

He was bigger than her, weighed more, and had spent his whole life from birth on with his magic so he was totally seamless with its use, efficient, and with the shadows he could use, enter, manipulate at will, he was beyond fast and while he usually just dorked around and mildly played with people in practice matches, Bickslow had seen him actually apply himself a few times in fights and it had been chilling.

He came off as relaxed and non-chalant about his abilities, lazy even, but Vander studied, practiced, trained, every single day without fail and had since he was a child. He was the only one of them who had ever beaten Kaleb in a fight and neither one of them would talk about it afterwards. Kaleb just admitting Vander had won and once they were both free of the healers, Vander didn't brag about it or tease Kaleb over it, something in the fight having bothered him enough he'd withdrawn and trained like a mad man for a while.

So Bickslow loved his brother, and he also loved Erza and wanted neither of them hurt and wasn't happy the two were bent on fighting each other. He didn't like that Erza had been hinting at challenging Emzadi either, a crispy girlfriend didn't appeal to him, neither did a diced up sister.

Fortunately, the whole thing with Natsu had it all held at bay, and if Natsu succeeded, which Bickslow was starting to feel confident he would, he and Emzadi would be needing a few weeks of privacy for the post mating fuckfest Dragon Slayers needed, he kind of envied them that secretly.

He would have gagged at the idea of Natsu with Emzadi had he not seen the pair together the last couple of weeks. They were an odd pair, but then, any pair involving the pink haired Fire Slayer felt odd. He'd always thought Emzadi would end up with some big beefy powerhouse along the lines of Laxus or Elfman, not a goofy grinning pink haired Fire Slayer barely a couple inches taller than her.

But he couldn't deny what he saw, their souls were already tangled into each other, Emzadis fiery orange with Natsus burning red. In all the years he'd known Natsu, he hadn't seen him take much as seriously as he'd taken this training, and he'd never seen the slayer interested in a woman before Emzadi either. So while the idea of the man as his brother in-lay was weirding him out just a little, his family had always been huge and lately it was swelling fast in ranks, he could admit, Natsu had proven to him at least he was serious, he wanted Emzadi, and was willing to do whatever it took to have her.

For her part, his sister had been withdrawn, quiet for her, usually such a vocal bright and bold personality she'd been subdued, hadn't trained, the only exercise she'd gotten lately was what she got shopping with the other women.

Natsu had noticed it, and there was nothing he could do any better than any of the others about it until they were mated except promise he'd have her back to the smiling laughing woman he'd met in Peace Village.

"I'll get in on him fast then." Natsu said quietly, then smiled at the Seith "Thanks Bix."

Bickslow sighed "Don't die, and we'll call it good."

Natsu grinned "No chance of that, I'll claim her, I swear I will."

He'd gotten in on Laxus today, no small feat, and Laxus had been impressed. Natsu had never managed to control himself enough to come at the Lightning Slayer with anything that could hope to beat him, but today he had actually gotten a few good hits on the man until Laxus has called it good.

It wasn't easy for the Lightning Slayer to refrain from putting Natsu into a wall, and he could have, but that wasn't the point of what they were doing, Emzadi didn't have a concussive attack like Laxus could deliver to send the slayer flying back off of him, so he hadn't used his own full arsenal and had admitted Natsu had made it in on him, dodging Laxus' lightning strikes and even his spear to reach the man.

He'd pulled Bickslow off his babies a couple of days ago and had reached Cobra that same day.

He'd even gotten a good one in on Vander that day, and that was why he would face Kaleb tomarrow.

"Ready to get back and see Emi? I'm sorta wanting to get back to Erza, we could all go see a movie or something tonight." He offered and Natsu was grinning. Just the idea of getting to Emi making him happy.

Bickslow smiled, shaking his head "Let's get back then." He chuckled, standing and the two mages headed for the doors.

Pelerno was a massive city, bustling with people, SE cars carts, carriages, massive airships flying overhead, it was easy to flag down a taxi to take them back to the estate since Laxus had the car they had driven in with, taking Emma out to do some Christmas shopping.

It was something Bickslow was itching to do with Erza. He fucking loved Christmas and spending it at home in Bosco? Ridiculous.

His father already had the house decorated, they'd all gotten to help with that. And Arman, having raised two Dragon Slayers and had an actual dragon about for years knew how to stock his homes pantries and keep everyone fed.

The cook kept baked treats available all the time and there were always snacks abundant. Emma brewed special Apple cider for Cobra and the cook very much enjoyed the challenge the Poison slayer brought to the house.

It wasn't surprising, but very very satisfying to Bickslow to walk in the front door the warm wonderful smell of gingerbread. Walking into the kitchen and finding Erza, Lucy, Emi and Levi all working on cookies and gingerbread houses while his father sat at the bar chatting brightly with them just about made him fucking cry.

Erza grinned at him "Bickslow, you have to taste this, Boscan Gingerbread…I've mastered it according to Mr. Aldan!" She said, offering him a warm iced cookie.

He stepped close to her, getting an arm around her and not the least bit concerned she had frosting and flour on the apron she was wearing, all of the women were covered with proof of their labors. He grinned at her, kissing her first before he let her put the cookie in his mouth.

Spices burst over his tongue, Boscan Gingerbread had a strong bite to it and Mr. Aldan hadn't lied, Erza had mastered it. He kissed her again and she was smiling looking expectantly at him when he pulled back "Perfect, fucking spicy and perfect." He said and the women cheered, Natsu all grins because Emi had come behind him as soon as he slid onto a barstool and was hugging him, nuzzling against his neck until his eyes closed and Arman tapped her shoulder warningly.

They all kept an eye on the couple, both of them easily started shifting into driving each other crazy pretty quickly and needed the reminders to back off, especially Emi, who if she'd had her way, would have drug the Fire Slayer off somewhere private right after he'd walked in smelling like fire and smoke and masculine enough her insides twisted when his scent reached her in spite of the heavy smell of gingerbread in the house.

That had nothing to do with her being hyper-sensitive to his scent anymore, not at all, she had flawless control over herself…and was grateful her father was observant.

"So, I am not training with Natsu tomarrow, how bout we get our Christmas shopping done?" Bickslow asked Erza, still holding her against him. She smiled "I would like that." She admitted. "Bickslow and I were thinking of going to a movie tonight, all of us?" Natsu turned, meeting Emis orange eyes and holding them smiling for a bit before he lowered his, he'd gotten good at the subtle things he needed to do to be around her safely.

Cristoff had helped him a lot, sharing his own painfully earned experience.

Gajeel was sitting at the dining table, working on getting a gingerbread house assembled "That sounds like a good idea, what's playing?" He asked, not taking his eyes off his work while Levi sat beside him frosting cookies.

Emi pulled the paper off the table by the hall and sat beside Natsu, the pair hovering over it looking at listings. "Plenty, Thor Ragnarok, I'd kinda like to see that…" Natsu said.

"Nothing like some good Marvel super hero action." Bickslow agreed. Erza had managed to turn and was trying to roll out more dough to cut more cookies out but Bickslow was wrapping his arms around her from behind and playing with her hair and making her grin and have trouble concentrating.

Lucy was frosting cookies, trying to keep Cobra from eating all the redhots and other assorted candies they had gotten to decorate cookies with and he was intermittently turning from that when she got distracted and nibbling on her neck making her giggle.

"Someone should call Laxus and the others and tell them, since they're already in the city they could meet us at the theater." Erza suggested and Arman snatched his com out "I'll handle that, so we'll go to dinner and then a movie or movie first?" He asked.

"Movie first, I hate rushing through a meal." Gajeel said, holding a piece while Levi started piping more icing to secure it.

"Allright, so we catch a matinee then go to dinner afterwards, I'll get the tickets, reservations and let Laxus and the others know." Arman smiled, leaving the kitchen to jump on his tasks.

"That looks like a rat, why rat cookies?" Natsu asked, leaning over the counter. Erza glared at him. "It's a profile of Santa Clause Natsu, not a rat." She snapped.

He tilted his head "Looks like a rat." He insisted and Erza raised the rolling pin menacingly enough Bickslow snatched it from her hand, sweeping in when she turned to try and retrieve it and kissing her soundly enough she forgot she was acting on an impulse to brain Natsu with a rolling pin for insulting her cookies.

Emi lured Natsu from the counter smiling, asking him to make a gingerbread house with her so her brothers intervention wasn't for nothing because Natsu was persistent as well as outspoken and she knew it.

Besides, cuddling against him and assembling a gingerbread house under Gajeels watchful eye sounded wonderful. They got too few of these opportunities. She really longed for when they could freely just be together.

They left Mr. Aldan to handle the last of the cookies and departed a couple of hours later after everyone had cleaned the flour and frosting from themselves. Bickslow suddenly wishing he hadn't suggested an evening out because a girlfriend covered in sticky frosting and some privacy was what he really wanted.

He donned his bladed sunglasses to cover up the brand on his face, something Erza frowned at but understood. Seiths were legal in Bosco but Bickslow had burned bridges here. Granted it was almost ten years ago, and it was unlikely he'd be questioned in the company of one of the countries most beloved Ambassadors, but while Arman had petitioned the Crown to pardon his son based on his involvement in the take down of Sevens royal family, that petition had yet to be answered so it was best to keep a low profile.

Black jeans and a snug dark green shirt and he was soon pulling Erza onto his lap in the back of the large car his father had hired for the night. The women had to sit on their men so everyone could fit, something that made Natsu plenty happy, he'd not gotten to hold Emi in his lap before and was all too happy to wrap his arms around her and bury his nose in her sweet-smelling hair. She'd put on a dark blue dress that hugged her well curved figure and he liked the way it felt under his hands.

Once everyone was piled in they rode to the theater and found Cristoff with Wendy, Kaleb and Cana beside them, Laxus and Emma up by the doors looking at coming attraction previews playing on a large screen.

The animated group got their tickets and once enough popcorn, candy and sugary drinks were bought to feed an army they filed into the theater and commandeered a whole isle.

"If you don't quit with the flames I'm going to electrocute you." Laxus warned Natsu. The Fire Slayer grinned "Look, I'm not catching anything on fire, I'm just happy ok?" He couldn't help it, excitement from holding Emi and feeling her body rocking against his on the car ride had driven his heart rate through the roof and flames intermittently licked over his skin because of it.

"Well, you'll stop if you're unconscious, right?" Laxus returned and Natsu rolled his eyes, making a better effort at controlling his enthusiastic magic once Emi offered to sit farther from him if it would help.

They survived the movie without anyone bursting into flames, being electrocuted or bludgeoned by Erza who wanted to fucking snuggle with her boyfriend and not be bothered by everyone's bickering so she could enjoy her first movie trip with an actual boyfriend to snuggle with.

Bickslow smirked, and started nibbling her fingers to distract her, a tactic that worked to well because she boldly grabbed his thigh and started rubbing it, moving higher until her fingers were grazing over his crotch and he had to lean over and kiss her and whisper something that had her blushing so bright it was even visible in the darkened theater before she stopped teasing him.

Cobra and Lucy didn't really care about any of it, they spent the whole movie necking and intermittently groping each other.

Cana though discovered her greatest challenge yet, getting her stoic, composed and well controlled Wizard Saint of a man to hiss and finally grab her hand and drag her from the theater, locking them into the "for families" bathroom and missing a chunk of the movie before they returned, Cana grinning and walking a little funny.

As they emerged Arman was frowning, pulling out his com as the cars were fetched.

"Vander was supposed to meet us here, I spoke to him, he got back from his mission earlier today….Vander!" He said into the com.

Kaleb frowned, pulling his own out. "Vander?" He called into it.

"Busy…meet you at the restaurant…." Vanders voice came over Armans com, along with some distinct rhythmic and feminine noises that were obvious enough Arman glared at the com and Kaleb rolled his eyes.

"Vander…seriously son?" Arman groaned and was answered by a breathy laugh and a woman gasping out Vanders name along with the distinct sound of movie previews being announced.

Arman turned a frown back toward the theater. "I'm guessing he at least made it to the theater pops." Bickslow snickered.

Arman rolled his eyes "Yes…so it would seem, maybe I should send him to Fiore, three of you found wonderful women there…" He mused.

"Last time he was in Fiore he fucked twins about to be engaged in a garden then their mother in a broom closet dad." Kaleb reminded him. Arman winced "Ah yes, ok…maybe Atla then, it's too hot there for him to get into as much trouble."

"Yeah dad, Vander in a kingdom where sleeping around can get you castrated? You do want lots of grandchildren right?" Bickslow grinned.

"Well, I have five other sons now and two daughters who can handle that…" Arman said thoughtfully then smiled wickedly at Bickslow "Though one son does seem to drag his feet a little and I would so love red haired grand babies…"

Bickslow ducked his head a bit, trying to hide in Erzas hair while she chuckled and leaned back against his chest. "I'm sorry about my dad…" He muttered beneath her ear and she turned in his arms, laughing when he tried to remain tucked into her neck instead of looking at her. He was actually blushing.

"Your father is delightful Bickslow." She said holding his face in her hands "and who knows…maybe he will have red haired grand babies one day."

His eyes narrowed and he smiled "they are a lot of fun to make…" he whispered and she laughed until he kissed her quiet. The cars arriving saved Bickslow from more teasing and this time it was less crowded since the two cars his father owned were now there along with the one he'd hired.

Vander caught up to them just as they were ordering their meals, seeming immune to his fathers dark look he ordered his meal and took a seat next to Bickslow.

"And you missed the movie because?" Arman asked him once the waiters had left.

"I didn't really miss it, I was in the projection room….getting a private tour…" He smirked, taking a deep drink of his wine and Arman sighed, letting the subject drop.

They enjoyed their meals, Arman informing them all the consulate was having a Christmas Eve Ball he wanted them all to come to and that launched the women into gleeful talk of another shopping trip for ball gowns.

When they got home Arman smiled, watching most of his children hurry off with their significant others, delighted in each choice they had made that way and looking forward to having almost all of his children together at the Ball, something the ones here didn't know, Farron would be a wonderful surprise. Coming in to help his father with the wedding rites for Erik and Lucy being the eldest brother it was his right and he'd told his father he'd get Atla in hand so he could be there.

Xally was working in Minstrel, and would be away for another month at least before she would be back, and the nature of what she was doing meant she didn't have the option of taking time off from it.

Still, his other children would all be present for the first time in too many years and that made him very happy.

He shook his head, rolling his eyes at Vander as his youngest son grabbed a few cookies before heading up to his own room and Arman finally headed for his.

Natsu sat breathing heavily, bleeding from more than one wound but smiling at the mage on a knee before him. Kaleb wasn't breathing as hard, and really had no injuries to speak of, some of his blue shirt was singed a little, and his pants were sandy, but otherwise, the Guild Master looked far better than Natsu, still…Natsu had reached him, and wrestled the man to a knee.

"You're ready…or as ready as we can make you anyway…" Kaleb said, shaking his head but smiling.

Natsu grinned, eyes lighting up and he jumped to his feet, hauling Kaleb up, "Lets find Emi then…" he said and Kaleb laughed.

"Easy, not so fast, Cristoff needs to put you back together and you need rest…tomarrow afternoon, I know father has plans for a place for you two, so we need to talk to him after we get patched and cleaned up, sound good?" Kaleb asked.

Natsu heaved a sigh "Not ideal, I want her NOW, but yeah, getting healed up and rested would be good." He admitted.

Kaleb nodded and the pair was greeted by and enthused Cristoff and Laxus as they were leaving the ring.

Emzadi was elated when they returned to the house and told her and Arman but she turned and glared at Kaleb when he said they should plan on the following afternoon.

"No! Absolutely not, we will start after the sun goes down. I refuse to start the ritual when the sun is feeding me power, Gods if I could I'd have you chain me down too, maybe I'll stay up and not eat until then, if I'm tired and underfed…" She was saying and Natsu was the one who slid his arms around her, from behind because that was the safest way he could hold her.

"Enough, I won't go near you if your starving, tired or chained, my dragon has pride you know, besides I doubt yours would acknowledge a claim taken that way even if you were the one who set it up." He said and she sighed, deflating and curling as she turned right into his chest. He didn't get to hold her like this often, and he knew this was because she was worrying herself to distraction.

He had a plan, he'd gone over it with Laxus and Bickslow and again with Kaleb, had incorporated preparing into his training for what he was going to do and while he didn't like certain parts of it, Kaleb had inserted a couple things he wasn't fond of but that made sense, he would follow it as best he could.

By tomarrow night he would he facing her, finally, and he would fight to have the most precious thing Igneels gift of the magic that flowed through him would ever bestow on him, his mate.

Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Everyone stayed home, even the work out junkies settled for a run up the beach, swimming and then rejoined everyone. The ship arrived a little after lunch to take them out to the island.

The Grass Sea had islands that moved around it, most of the larger ones were the homes of clans, but there were hundreds of smaller ones. Arman had learned of one that would be moving through the area that was big enough for the ritual, providing some rocky cover here and there, a few trees and plants, but otherwise, devoid of life. Considering this would be a battle between two mages who could burn down a forest with a sneeze, it made sense.

They would stay on the airship, the only one who would go to the island was Cristoff other than Emzadi and Natsu for a lot of reasons. He had intervened with Emzadi before, been the only one other than Kaleb who ever could stop her when she was in dragon force. He was also a battle healer, who still possessed skills in rapid life saving healing Wendy had yet to fully master.

Add in the fact that Wendy still could make Emzadi tense and as a female, even one mated to Emis brother, she was very much seen as a threat, and it wasn't any safer for Wendy to be there than the others.

But Cristoff wouldn't go down unless needed, he could teleport in the blink of an eye, and the moon was up when Emzadi jumped off the rail of the ship, Natsu crying out in shock and lunging forward only to watch her gracefully land, tumble through the impact and come up on her feet smiling.

"Fucking showoff!" Vander yelled down and she flipped him off, walking into the interior of the island.

Cristoff clapped a hand on Natsus shoulder, holding him back as they watched the island light up under Emzadis magic and the temperature suddenly became uncomfortable for the next several minutes while she ran through some of her biggest spells.

She was going to run her magic down a good bit before Cristoff brought Natsu down and it all started.

Arman looked down at the island, ignoring the heat and almost blinding light from some of the spells going off. This was it, they had done everything they could think of to help Natsu and Emzadi to get to this point, Emzadi was doing all she could think of to stack the deck in Natsus favor without going so far her dragon wouldn't let the mating happen.

The spells stopped coming, and Kaleb, who was listening intently to his sisters thoughts looked up. "She's ready, she's still got plenty of magic to kill you Natsu, as she is now she could take on a battalion of Sevenese, so follow your plans, be careful." Kaleb said and Cristoff grasped his shoulder and in the next moment Natsus sandals hit the rock of the islands surface and he could smell Emzadi. He felt magic flow into him, and looked at Kristoff.

"I wish I could do more…" Cristoff said, and then was gone, leaving Natsu looking up toward the ship that hovered about 100 feet above.

He turned, he could feel her, sense her, his dragon welling up inside him he let it come, embraced it, he knew he couldn't trust anything as well as he could trust the Dragon soul inside him right now.

He didn't have to walk far before he saw her, standing on a rock, glowing faintly, white flames licking over her. She was in the same Boscan garb he'd first seen her in, the deep green silks blowing around her arms and legs, chains making small jingling sounds when she moved. He knew how to remove each piece with one hand too, she'd taught him herself, determined he be able to do it quickly.

"I want you…" She said, a growl in her voice, a tremor to it, her eyes glowed and though he stood almost 40 feet away from her he could feel the heat radiating from her, it felt good to him, the searing hot rock that had been scorched while she'd gone through her spells felt good too, though it would have burned a normal person.

"I'm going to claim you Emzadi, I'm going to have you as my mate." He declared, his own voice growling out, his dragons will coming through clearly with his own. There was no room for doubt and her lips curled, eyes churning, fangs showing.

"You challenge me then?" She asked and Natsu knew it, his Emzadi was no longer in control, her dragon had taken over, dark gold scales showed along her arms, her red nails turning into talons.

His own dragon answered, and he'd never felt Dragon force so easily at his command before but it came, flooding into him, at his beck and call with all of his power behind it.

"I challenge you." He affirmed and she hissed and he side stepped a solar strike that bored into the rock he'd been standing on, cutting through the rock like it was butter.

"Her dragon won't budget her magic, it will pour all she has into every spell, every attack, you can wear her down just by being fast but don't expect to be able to stand through one of her spells, not at the intensity her dragon will be using them, her dragon will chew her magic and won't care if it leaves her depleted." Cristoff had told him early on.

He kept dodging and she kept attacking, he got a roar off, grunting when she side stepped part of it, ate the flames of the rest but he did the same to her a moment later, almost smirking when this time her roar didn't melt buttons. He'd gotten clothes through the merchant she'd suggested in Pelerno, had to admit, damn good stuff worth the jewel.

"Lightning fire Dragon's Iron fist:" He snarled, swinging aside on her next attack and rushing at her alongside it, closing the distance fast enough to drive into her.

"Dragon Slayer's Secret Art, Crimson Lotus: Exploding Lightning Blade"

He rained attacks down on her, his dragon not allowing him to hold back now that they were on top of her. He'd gone over it all so many times, she could withstand his fire attacks, even gain power from them, but not when they were laced with Laxus' lightning, that he had integrated into his magic long ago and Laxus' had charged him up on heavily the last couple of weeks.

Lightning hit as hot as her magic did, but faster, the impacts greater than anything she had.

He bombarded her then with Black fire attacks, courtesy of Vander and Gajeels shadow magics, exploding flame blade of darkness hitting her so hard she collapsed and fell fully to the ground, the shadows weakening her light just as they had all hoped they would.

"Lunar fire dragons total eclipse" Natsu called and all light was gone as the Lunar magic, mixed with his fire joined to pull flames to total darkness and her heard her scream.

The spell was huge, had taken them all to work out, Cristoff had poured roar after roar at Natsu until he'd been able to finally master the cool, soothing dark of the Lunar slayers power and integrate it into his own magic like he had with Laxus' The spell was an area one, and Natsu fell its heavy pull but didn't hesitate or take time to marvel at how well it had gone off.

He had her, her skin cool to the touch as the spell stole light and fire from her and drowned it in the eclipse. It was then her dragon twisted her and he felt it, a solar strike cut right through him.

Fortunately because of how he held her, it slanted through his right shoulder from front and out through his back, he felt it cut right through, vaporize flesh, blood, bone, everything it touched. His right arm was instantly dead but, if there was a good thing about her attack, it cauterized itself so he wasn't bleeding and he simply had no time.

The eclipse wouldn't last long, he had seconds at best but it was all he needed. He flipped her to her back and had the bottom of her clothing unclasped and batted aside, his own body, Gods he'd been hard for weeks at this point and needed her, his dragon burning through him as he grasped her hip with his good hand and slammed himself between her thighs.

Her body arched up off the ground as he plunged into her and the eclipse was shredded as her fire raged over her skin but he was within her, and he clutched her to him, ignoring the fire that was so hot it hurt even him, kissing her neck, scraping his fangs over her skin and pistoning into her as she writhed beneath him.

Dragon claiming wasn't about pleasure as much as dominating, owning, and he did that, swearing in his head he'd show her every other kind of love he had in him later. Praying the intense pain in his shoulder wouldn't make him black out before he finished. Dragon Lust was undeniable, and in minutes she was growling, purring and nearing her end.

"You're mine! Say you are!" Natsu snarled and she hissed at him, throwing her head back "Yours!...I am…yours!" She responded when his thrusts became brutal.

She came then. ripping him along with her and his fangs sunk into her neck as she roared out her finish. Her blood was liquid fire and as it slid down his throat he felt the power of it, her magic, flow through him like the finest flames he'd ever taken in.

The burns on him healed, the pain in his shoulder lessening somewhat, strength coursed through him, he felt almost high on it and drank it down, finally pulling his fangs from her and licking over the spot, still holding her firmly to him as they both breathed feverishly.

Her hands had been sliding over his back, at some point her claws had shredded his vest and he felt the remaining pieces of it falling down his arms. They held each other for several minutes and his dragon receded, almost rolling over in him and the sudden lack of it was almost alarming after its prominent presence ever since he'd met Emzadi in Peace Village.

She was kissing him, his neck, his shoulder, and he felt power welling in her, the vibration of a deep feminine, intensely sexy growl. "My turn." She purred and Natsu was slammed to his back so hard he lost his vision for a few moments.

Emzadi had no vendettas, no reason at all to be angry with him over much of anything, so Natsu faired far better than Cristoff had as he was claimed, Emazadi was forceful, didn't tolerate him touching her, but she touched him, her hands running over him, her lips playing on his skin, his lips, she blew fire into his mouth as they kissed and it almost made him delirious with pleasure.

"Say you're mine Natsu…" She breathed by his ear, her claiming all about sensual, sweet, fiery play after the initial teeth rattling reversal of positions.

"Gods I'm yours…" He panted out as she rode him, her long legs afforded her such delicious leverage, that and the fact the rock beneath them wasn't exactly giving and she had good purchase on it.

She twisted her hips, pulling him up to an almost sitting position as she rocked their bodies together but she growled if he tried to meet her thrusts or take any control so he held himself up with his good arm behind him, tipped his head back and let her have him, feeling their bodies merging, hearts coming closer to matching rhythms until finally he came, groaning out her name and feeling long fangs sink into his left shoulder right below where his neck met it.

She purred as his blood flowed into her mouth, the fire of it like wine to her. She pushed her magic into him just as his had done when he'd bitten her, feeling his magic in his blood like he'd felt hers before.

Their magics flowed together like water, merging flawlessly, aligning them easily into each other and the waves of pleasure lasted for long minutes.

When it calmed she was frowning at his scorched shoulder, a hole almost big enough she could put her hand through it ran through his shoulder and she had put it there.

"Stop…Cristoff can heal it, stop worrying about it, it was fucking good hit." He told her, smiling faintly.

She sighed, looking up toward the ship, sending thoughts she knew Kaleb could hear "He's hurt, I hurt him, send Cristoff."

Then, she laid down and his arms came around her as he settled back with a groan. "Mine…I fucking told you you would be." He grinned and she giggled "Shut up, it's not sexy to gloat." She told him.

"I'm always sexy, no matter what I do." He replied and she snorted

"You are not sexy when you trip over a whelp and land on your face in the sand." She told him.

"Naw, the whelp totally makes that sexy, dragons make everything sexy." He said firmly.

She pulled back, smiling down at him and his whole being warmed looking up at her, she was his, his mate…he'd be thanking the Gods forever.

"Ruby is a gangly infant, nothing about her makes anything sexy yet." She told him.

"We'll have to agree to disagree on this point." He told her, leaning up to kiss her, thrilled he finally could kiss her, right then, when he fucking felt like it, and he could look her right in the eye while he did it too.

"Ahem."

They both jerked their heads to the side snarling and found Cristoff smiling at them. He ignored their growls, he wasn't a threat, both of them wanted him there badly once his hand started moving over Natsus gaping wound and the Fire Slayer groaned as Cristoff started setting it right.

"So, congratulations, everyone is already partying on the ship up there and heading for home now, I am to teleport you both to the estate where Emzadis already long since fireproofed bedroom is waiting for you two to hole up in for a while."

Natsu grinned at him, "well then…" He shifted, not entirely happy to remove himself from his mates body but Emzadi reached over and snatched up the bottom of her outfit and stood, happily stepping into Natsus arms before Cristoff clasped their shoulders and took them back to the estate.

Arman seated himself, pausing as he did so when the whole house seemed to shudder he sighed, rolling his eyes as some chuckles erupted from those in the room. They were all in the kitchen/dining area having just left the ship and come in to enjoy some drinks and celebrate the new couple that was upstairs working on their bond.

"I'm probably going to be replacing a lot of furniture in that room. It's all fire resistant to Emzadis levels but really, if they can make the house shudder…Freed? I don't suppose you've any runes that might contain their…uh…forceful activities to their chambers? I really should have thought of that, Emzadi was always such a destructive child." He said and Freed smiled "I do actually, I'll go lay them down immediately."

Of everyone there he'd spent the most time with Arman during their visit, Arman enjoyed chess and some of the other strategy game Freed liked so well, so when he wasn't enjoying relaxing on the beach, or visiting the massive Pelerno Library or the one in the White Sea branch, the two were usually playing a game sipping bourbon or scotch.

So he was happy to be helpful to his gracious host. Everyone was smiling, it was done, Natsu wasn't dead, he'd been hurt certainly, but not so badly Cristoff hadn't been able to set it right in a few minutes and the Pradesh family had grown by one more, now having 5 dragon slayers in it.

Arman realized he was going to need to have the estate better fortified and take out more insurance.

Upstairs the newly mated couple was playing, Emzadi showing Natsu quickly he couldn't be too dominant with her when she slammed him down to the floor so hard the house seemed to shudder and she silently thanked her fathers foresight for having re-enforced the house years ago because of his destructive children's habits of wrecking it.

The fire slayer wasn't down long, tackling her back onto the bed and kissing her until she was laughing, then moaning and returning herself to the business of getting well acquainted with her mates body. He was ticklish, and she liked that, really liked having his lower back rubbed his upper thighs were sensitive, especially along the insides.

He was also vocal, not the least bit shy and had no pride where letting her know how much he liked something was concerned. All things she immediately loved about him.

"Ahh…Gods that feels good." He moaned as she nibbled the sensitive skin beneath his ear, one of her hands carding through his thick pink locks.

She purred, blowing searing hot air over the damp skin and he shuddered, turning so he could catch her smiling mouth with his.

As he explored her with the same interest she had on him, she had only to make soft sounds and he learned fast from them, devoting more attention to things that got louder more sudden sounds from her.

"Mine.." He breathed against her neck and she tipped her head back as he slid into her again, they fit so perfectly together, he felt so incredibly good.

"and…you…are mine…" She breathed out as he rocked into her.

"Always." He replied.

xoooxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoooxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

A/N Not a bad place to end this...if I were mean and all.


	44. Chapter 44 Around the Capital

Draconian 44

"Fuck yes!" Vander groaned, tightening his grip on the Blonde above him, the brunette, her roommate, slid around by his head and he drew a steadying breath, releasing one hand from the blondes hips and reaching for her roommate, dragging her down so he could kiss her.

"Shit! AH!" The blonde came and Vander moaned into the brunettes mouth as the blondes body clamped down on him. The moment she rolled off of him, exhausted, to stretch out panting on the bed to his side he rolled over to pull the brunette under him, and she wrapped her legs eagerly around his hips "Gods! Oh! Yes!" The smaller woman screamed and he smirked as he rested his forehead on her shoulder and started pounding into her. Just what he needed, seriously, he hadn't been laid in a few days, not since the movie theater really, going down on the heavy woman hed noticed getting some teasing at the Steel Council headquarters didn't count, that had been purely because the women teasing that bigger girl had all propositioned him so he'd ignored them and made a big deal about wanting the woman they'd been making fun of.

She'd been surprised, having a mage from White Sea, a good looking one, approach her, tell her she was gorgeous and he had to have her, didn't seem to happen often to her. He'd loved the shocked looks on the faces of the other woman as he'd left with her, found an empty office, laid her back on the desk and made her happy.

He'd enjoyed it plenty, but he needed regular relaxation in the willing arms of women, he led a high stress life at times. Sex kept him calm, and relaxed. It really was his favorite form of entertainment.

So the blonde coming up to him while he was looking over some enchanted chess boards that you could speak to instead of having to move the pieces yourself, a gift he was considering for his father or maybe Freed. She had been like an answer to a prayer just about. Irritated as he was about not being able to have Thessaly earlier that morning.

He hadn't even needed to make a move, had noticed her watching him from another part of the store but hadn't thought about approaching her, preoccupied with gift decisions and the knowing he had to wear a tux the following night for the fucking ball he had to go to.

His whole life he, well, all of his brothers and sisters as well as him had been through dance lessons, music, manners, languages. Their father was highly respected, got invited to a lot of functions, they all had to be able to handle themselves to make their family proud in high society environments.

He'd do fine, had no doubt that like every other event he'd been to since he'd cleared his awkward stage and topped six feet in height, he'd likely get laid while he was there. Wealthy Boscan women travelling the upper circles just loved fucking White Sea mages.

Because of his rank in the guild, he had to wear its insignia on his lapel, as well as the seal for the Steel Council since he served them too, so he was easy to pick out as from the guild, and he was young, handsome, built, all the things they hunted for.

Still he wasn't really looking forward to an evening of "behaving" himself until some woman finally got the nerve up to act on what she wanted in spite of the setting. Not too long ago he and his brothers would sort of compete over who got to spend the least time dancing upright at the functions but their father had ended it when he'd caught them betting against each other and some of the other guests, a few even friends of the family, were trying to hedge their bets by suggesting a certain brother to single women they knew.

Now, as the brunette came, babbling all manner of dirty things in his ear and he let himself cum. Heaving a sigh and rolling from her, mildly surprised when the blonde removed the spent condom from him and hastily put a new one on him.

He smirked as she climbed over him, Gods he loved Aisliss right then.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Bickslow was grinning, he was probably going to be bouncing off walls for a few hours from all the sugar he and Erza had just consumed but his girlfriend was now loosing her shit over the silken gowns and shoes, gloves and costume jewelry in the store they had walked into.

She'd already bought a gown for the ball tomarrow night, she'd promised him he'd love it and he didn't doubt he would, he loved everything she wore, loved it more when she wore nothing at all. Now she was touching silk gowns, biting her lip, making noises he really had thought were reserved for him in bed and maybe Strawberry cake.

Still, it was fun watching her. His Tux had already been delivered to the house, his father had gotten him two and three suits after the fire had taken all of his clothes during the siege on Magnolia. Telling his father he barely ever wore things like that didn't register with Arman, he almost lived his whole life in suits and tuxedos, he believed firmly every man should have a few.

Cobra had been amusing, not exactly charming about being measured by the man Elluris sent. When the man had gone to measure the dragon slayers inseam Cobra had poisoned him.

"I have to try this on…" Erza breathed, pulling an elegant looking mass of golden fabric from the rack and dragging Bickslow to the fitting rooms. He took his spot dutifully in the chair by the circular area of mirrors and waited smiling. His babies were tucked neatly into the five gems of the ring on his right hand middle finger.

They didn't care for being in the ring but it was a safe place where he could keep them close without them getting into trouble or being noticeable.

As he sat he occupied himself by having Papa take over a little wooden dragon he'd been carving. He did that a good bit, always had some basic tools on him when he travelled and he had a full set in his room at home so he'd been relaxing while Erza was out with the ladies carving and working on the little dragon, it was starting to look like Ruby, who he liked watching as she played outside on the beach.

So Papa was zooming around in the little wooden dragon entertaining him until Erza stepped out with golden silk clinging to every inch of her, edged in gold lace, looking for all the world like one of Bickslows best hot dreams come to life.

He whistled as she turned to look in the mirror and he got to see the bare back of the dress, how it clung to the swell of her hips, her long dark red hair such a perfect contrast to the rich golden color.

"Fuuuck…Kitten…" His response made her giggle, something she had hardly ever done in her life but since being with him, had relaxed enough to let herself, knowing now it didn't diminish her in his eyes.

"With the satin heels they have, the Boscan jewelry I bought while out with the other women…I might like this more than the black one I bought." She admitted.

This gown was certainly more striking, with the slit on the left up to her thigh. Bickslow slid his arms around her from behind, taking one of her hands and after placing a kiss on her neck swung her out suddenly before pulling her back into his arms and twirling her around.

"You can dance in it…feels wicked nice under my hands, I can see it's easy to take off…gets my vote." He told her, pulling her back to him again and pushing her hair aside to kiss the back of her neck and make her shudder.

"You like this one too huh? Maybe I shouldn't…I haven't taken a job in a while…" They had all been paid handsomely for their work in Seven, the most she had ever gotten after doing so little. She had enough to about buy a house if she wanted to, but wanted to save all she could, work would be abundant when they went home after Natsu and Emzadi were through their bonding period in a couple of weeks.

She wanted to buy Lucy and Cobra some nice gifts for the babies too, and she did already have a beautiful ball gown.

"Bullshit, buy it or I will just so you can wear it for me in private." He smirked. He really did like the single chain of crystals that held the back together had an easy clasp and then the band of gold lace at the neck that held the front up also had only two crystal buttons he could undo with one hand. He loved clothes on her that he could remove easily.

Sure she could re-quip to naked glory at will, and did sometimes just because she knew it always got his blood racing south, but she also enjoyed playing with him, she was a wicked woman when they were alone, enjoyed sultry strip teases and other things that made him half crazed.

He'd never, ever in his life, even counting fucking Cana, been with a woman that was as kinky as Erza Scarlett and damn if he didn't just love that about her. Lucy retained her nickname but he'd learned the best way possible that between the two women, Erza was the one that cosplayed.

She loved little costumes, lingerie, had even started getting him into it, reluctantly at first but then, once he saw how much it turned her on, hell, dress him up.

She kissed him, smiling up at him, he always made her feel so good about herself, about the things she liked. He teased her about things, but that was his personality, and sometimes he did it just to get a rise out of her so she would go after him and then they'd get to wrestling which always seemed to evolve into something far more fun than proving whatever point was on the table.

Stepping back into the changing booth she re-quiped out of the gown into her normal clothes and gathered the gown up carefully. One of the shop employees had come to check on them and Bickslow was talking with her, telling her they were buying the gold silk gown and already asking about matching shoes and accessories for it, she smiled slightly.

She'd drug Natsu and Gray shopping many times and neither man, though good friends and good men, were very into the experience. Most men weren't and Bickslow she knew didn't particularly care for shopping, but when he did it, he paid attention and participated, which made him, while nothing compared to Lucy or Levi as a shopping companion, the best male she'd ever shopped with by far.

And he was HER boyfriend too. She was enjoying feeling all warm and happy about that, getting her purse and stepping out of the fitting room when she realized the shop employee was being way too flirty with the man she was thinking so happily about.

"I don't see many men so attentive to what a woman wants…makes me think you're attentive in more things beyond that too…are you promised?" She was asking. Bickslows back was to Erza, but she could see the employees face, she was pretty, with fashionably cut pale blue hair and wide blue/green eyes.

The interest on her face was obvious. Lucys spirit Cancer had been keeping Bickslows Seith brand covered so his handsome face didn't bear a mark that while legal in Bosco, still inspired fear.

"He's not interested. Please ring up this gown, I'll take it, but we'll get shoes and such elsewhere." Erza said flatly, stepping up and shoving the gown in the womans face making her take a step back from Bickslow who she was standing too damn close to in the first place.

The woman glowered at her but nodded and turned on her heel "Yes ma'am, right this way. I'll be happy to see you on your way quickly." She said curtly.

Bickslow managed to keep from smiling as Erza glared daggers into the little shop employee.

He'd been about to turn her down nicely, but was glad he hadn't gotten the chance, seeing Erza jealous was something he took unexpected pleasure in. Women just didn't get that way with him, of course, he'd never dated, never been in a relationship like what he had with Erza before, but no woman had ever been possessive of him, jealous…he'd never admit it…but he liked it a little.

Wouldn't stop him from teasing her though, oh hell no.

"Looking a little green there kitten?" He asked and she shot him a nasty look "You don't need to flirt with every woman you meet." She snapped, knowing the moment she said it that she was wrong, he hadn't been, she'd heard every word said, he'd been asking about shoes, hardly flirting, moments ago she'd been happy he was being helpful.

Bickslow narrowed his eyes, following her to the front of the store and watching her pay the icy woman who had been trying to get him to flirt. Once outside he caught the stone faced knights arm and turned her into him, getting an arm around her waist before she could jerk free of him.

"I wasn't flirting with her and you know it. Now, kiss me kitten, and lets go find you shoes and such to go with the dress since the woman in the shop pissed you off and we can't buy them there now." He wasn't mocking her, wasn't teasing, just looked at her, his expression warm but firm too, he'd be damned if he'd let her read things into that little bit of no-big-deal or blame it on him that she'd gotten mad.

Erza though was flustered now. She knew she was wrong, but she'd said it, and Bickslows gregarious nature sometimes did bother her, she was greedy, and she'd never been in a relationship, never had a boyfriend, and she loved it so much, loved him so much she didn't want to share any of him or what they had for fear he'd slip from her fingers like Jellal had.

She'd let Jellal have time, space, had been hugely patient, and she'd lost him because of it. It terrified her now to think of Bickslow ever leaving her like Jellal had. She adored the man, was happier with him than she'd ever been in her whole life, and she wanted to protect that but had no idea how.

Since they'd started pursuing their relationship he'd given her nothing to worry about, been wonderful, but that almost made it harder, she was endlessly waiting for the painful, heart shattering moment it would fall apart. He'd decide he'd had enough of her, she wasn't for him, like Jellal had, like most men did before even giving her a chance.

"You…I…" She frowned, there just weren't words for it all, it didn't make sense, her anger right now, any of the riot of things clattering through her head, none of it made sense so she couldn't talk to him or argue at all.

"Kitten…Erza…" Bickslow was concerned now, her eyes were tearing up and he had no idea why, or how to stop what he could see was building up in her. So, he went for distraction and kissed her.

Riots of confusing things making chaos in Erzas head stopped when Bickslows arm covered her back, molded her into him and he kissed her. She dropped her bag from the previous store before the dress shop and the garment bag holding the gown and clung to him.

She loved him, Gods did she love him, and she had no idea what to do about it, how to protect that, nurture it, pray to the Gods he felt it too, felt something for her, even a fraction of how much she loved him would be enough she was sure.

When his father had said he wanted Red haired grandbabies she'd about died, but it was with a warm euphoric almost comical amount of hope and desire for exactly what Arman had said. The idea of them together, committed to the point she was having his babies, making a family with him…

What a father Bickslow would be, their home would be brimming with fun, laughter, mischief, his brand of tenderness, cuddling…it was heaven in her heart. She wanted that, all of it, him and home, a family with him, and she knew having it all in her head, to where she daydreamed about it had to be too much, had to be over the top, but then that was her personality. Erza tended to be a little over the top in most things, her passions ran strong and high.

She believed Bickslow was up to handling that, he'd told her once her passionate nature was something he liked about her, that she thrilled him and he loved it. He was a passionate man himself, over the top in his own ways, and his off beat passions always seemed to compliment hers somehow.

But it wasn't something she had to figure out right that moment, he felt so good, smelled earthy and spicy and wonderfully male, his body so firm and tall and she felt feminine held against it. His lips were on hers, his concern was for her, those crimson eyes had only been on her all morning. So she was relaxing into his arms, kissing him back.

"Mmm, I've got no idea what that was….but lets get you some shoes, Earrings, you need some sexy earrings, I'm seeing you with your hair up in that gown…earrings would look so good along that sexy neck…" He purred and she was grinning against his mouth, tipping her forehead against his when a blur of movement happened, someone shouldered her and her bags were snatched up, a slender form in a dark coat racing away.

Erzas eyes narrowed, "Thief!" She snarled, shooting from Bickslows arms, a dark smile on her face, gaze locked on the law-breaking target.

Bickslow rushed after her, holy fuck was she fast, he ran for exercise, parkour was a favorite pass time for him and days he couldn't hit the gym he'd do some running that usually involved cheating death a lot, but this thief and his girlfriend put him to the test right off.

Ultimately, as fast as Erza was, Bickslow was taller, trained for speed and he passed her and rapidly gained on the thief, who threw down the bags and ran faster, but Bickslow wasn't letting the son of a bitch off that easy.

They came to an open food market area where fresh produce and such was being sold and the thief tried for all he was worth to lose the mage but Bickslow was faster, more agile, vaulted over stands and then ran right up a wall and dove off it to tackle him, getting a good grip on the dark knee length coat the guy was wearing and using it to throw him to the ground.

The guy came up with a dagger in each hand and people were gasping, shouting, scrambling to get out of the way as he lunged at Bickslow.

Running the guy down was one thing, right up Bickslows ally, but hand to hand in a knife fight with no knife was something else. He was bigger than the guy, a good head taller at least, and by the looks of him, Bickslow outweighed him by a bit too but he didn't have a weapon on him, just Papa in a little wooden dragon in his pocket.

Using Papa for this fight didn't seem wise either, not with so many people around. So Bickslow dodged the guy, using the mans loose coat against him again, grabbing the shoulder and wrenching him clean off his feet to throw him back to the pavement.

He felt the guy get him though, a dagger cutting through his jeans, slicing into his left thigh. The guy rolled back to his feet and was about to lunge again when swords rained down, more than a dozen catching the mans coat, pants, even the heel of a shoe and pinning him to the pavement while three more hovered in his face glinting in the gray light of the cloudy day.

Bickslow smirked, turning to see Erza, carrying her recovered bags, which she shoved into his hands as she marched mast him, snatching a sword out of the air as she reached the man and pressing the blade to the wide eyed mans throat.

"You may have ruined my brand new gown, and you injured my boyfriend, give me a good reason why I should let you live?" She demanded.

Bickslow smiled, wondering if the man might piss himself, he looked about ready to.

The city guards arrived, they were well present in the shopping districts just for this reason and while thieves were everywhere, they were rarely stupid enough to snatch things in broad daylight in a busy part of Aisliss right in the heart of Pelerno.

Erza let the guards take over, her swords vanishing and letting the man fall fully to the ground. She came over to Bickslow, frowning at the cut in his thigh that was soaking his pant leg with blood.

"Did he do that?" One of the guards asked, pointing to Bickslows bloody leg. "Yeah, woulda killed me if he could have, snatched her shopping bags and tried to make off with them, when I caught up to him, he attacked me." Bickslow replied.

The guard was glaring at the man then looked at Bickslow, "You know we've been trying to catch this guy, fast as hell though, pretty impressive you could run him down." He said smiling faintly.

They took Bickslow and Erzas statements along with those of several of the people who'd seen the end of the chase and subsequent fight and one of the guards showed them to a medical clinic a block over.

Sitting on the table a short while later in his boxers Bickslow was smiling as he waited for the doctor to come back with materials to bandage him up. He turned down stitches, Cristoff and Wendy were both in Aisliss shopping, he'd just needed to call them and the cut would be gone in seconds.

Erza had already done just that but the guard wouldn't let them just wait and not have a doctor help even after they insisted they had two healing mages on the way to meet them.

So, here he sat, Jeans removed because the doctor had insisted on looking at the injury, and they were soaked with blood anyway. Erza stepped between his legs, sliding her arms around him.

"You can really run." She observed.

He smirked "You've seen me go out how many times now to do just that in the mornings?"

"Yes well I'd never actually watched you though, I was impressed, I don't consider myself slow at all but you ran right past me." She admitted.

"Couldn't keep my ass from getting knifed though, fucker, I hope some big burly thing takes a liking to him in jail." Bickslow grumbled, enjoying her hands sliding under his shirt.

He smiled at her "You saved me though, pinned him to the ground, all those swords…" He leaned closer and her eyes warmed as he did.

"I did rescue you from him further harming you didn't I?"

He nodded "My sexy hero." He whispered kissing her. He still didn't know what had gotten into her back at the dress shop, and in the back of his mind he knew it had been significant, there was something worrying her and he should find out what it was. But right then she just tasted good, felt good when he wrapped his arms around her. Her hands under his shirt rubbing the warm skin of his back, kneading into the muscle there.

"The fuck did you do Bixy? Taking shopping to new extremes?" A deep voice snickered and the couple looked up to Cristoff entering the curtained off spot.

"Yeah well, I had to liven it up somehow." Bix returned and Erza stepped aside to let Cristoff move up and inspect Bickslows leg.

"Hmm, well, at least the asshole used a sharp knife on you, easier to heal." He said, and a moment later aside from the blood still present, there was no way to tell there had ever been a 7 inch gash in the Seith mages thigh, it was just smooth tan skin over firm muscle again.

Putting the still blood soaked jeans back on wasn't pleasant, and the doctor managed to get Cristoff and Wendy to clear his little clinic, healing the sprains, couple of broken bones and migraine patients were currently there for in less than 30 minutes before the four mages left the clinic to find a specific mens clothing store, since Bickslow didn't want to be walking around in blood soaked jeans for the rest of the day.

"We could go back to the estate so you could change." Erza offered but the Seith frowned "And lose the parking spot we got? Hell no!"

He and Cristoff though were not prepared for their women going into shopping mode on them once in the store. Elluris was famous. The company did make a limited amount of womens things, cloaks, and outerwear, but they specialized in mens clothing, the finest in Earthland.

"I think you'd look very handsome in this." Erza said over and over and Bickslow would try not to roll his eyes, trapped in the fitting room area by his excessively talented and swift shopping girlfriend just as badly as Cristoff was corralled by Wendy, who really liked her husband wearing fitted slacks and jeans and thought he didn't own enough snug t-shirts anymore since he'd lent out so much of his clothing when they'd gotten back to Magnolia and been rebuilding. Besides, the ones Elluris carried were soft as butter and she planned to steal some as night shirts.

Bickslow had to admit, he needed clothes, he'd lost all he had at home to fire and while able to fit into some of his clothes that were still in his room at home, he'd been sort of raiding Vanders closet since his younger brother was about the same size he was and wore shadows more than actual clothing so often.

Vander had some nice clothes, so he'd been comfortable, but he did need his own. So he only protested some to Erzas enthusiastic enjoyment over getting to dress her boyfriend.

When they finally left he set things up for the store to deliver most of what he ended up buying, which was way more than he'd planned on, and since they were at Elluris it cost a lot more than he would usually spend on clothes but he figured he'd been well paid, and badly needed clothes so he might as well indulge in some of the best.

When they left he was in charcoal gray colored jeans and a black mock turtle neck Erza had really liked. A shoe store sucked the women in and Bix and Cristoff were occupying themselves looking at trainers, boots and such, another thing Bickslow was needing he admitted, shoes, and the store was able to change some sandals to match Erzas new gown and recommend a place that could steam it for her since the thief had wrinkled the hell out of it.

Lunch beckoned them after that and they met Cobra and Lucy at the diner they found. Wendy made the decision Lucy was needed to go through the baby supply store nearby so she could give the others a better idea of what she wanted for the babies, Erza helping to silence her protests and suddenly, Bickslow, Cobra and Cristoff found themselves abandoned, told they would be met later at a bakery for desert in a couple of hours.

"Well shit…peace and quiet…" Cobra breathed. Bickslow smirked "I thought you wanted to go shop for baby things Daddy." Bickslow quipped and the older slayer kicked his shin, grinning when he winced.

"I did but not all day. Not sure I like Lucy walking all day either, she should rest more." He added, following the women with his eye until they passed out of sight around a store.

"She's with Wendy, really couldn't be in better hands." Cristoff said and Cobra sighed. "Yeah I know, doesn't mean I have to like it."

"I can't believe how much Erza talked me into…" Bickslow groaned, suffering pangs of buyers remorse. He still wanted to get some gym equipment for his house, his had been destroyed.

"She was dressing him like a doll." Cristoff said to Cobra, who smirked. "Yeah nice new shirt there Cris, Wendy got you to buy what, 10 of em?" Bix snapped.

"Not that I fucking want a damn thing to do with the scary mess that is Titania, but you need to put that woman out of her misery, little brother." Cobra said, he figured he'd be getting a little rush out of calling Bickslow that for a while.

Bickslow frowned, "She's not a mess, she's been through a lot of shit." He protested.

"Yeah? Like anyone here hasn't been? Fuck that Bixy, I don't give a shit about whos hurt more, I'm just sayin, you need to let her know where she stands, she worries about it to the point she makes me want to puke, and I'm already dealing with Lucy putting me through a rollercoaster right now." Cobra said firmly.

"What he can't tell you because his ass can only say it when he's damn near lost Lucy is you need to tell Erza you love her Bix." Cristoff said.

Bickslow frowned…he'd done that…hadn't he? "I…she knows…" He started to object but Cobras firm shake of his head and raised brow shut him up. Blinking he wondered if her doubts about how he felt might have been part of the weird thing at the dress shop earlier.

"They never just know, not until after you've told them a few hundred times unless you're a dragon slayer, then you can't hide it from them even when you're mad at them." Cristoff sighed. He'd lost arguments because Wendy knew, felt, right in the middle of them arguing, that he loved her, and sometimes when they argued she just got so riled up, her face flushed, eyes flashing, he couldn't help getting turned on and thinking behind his anger how much he fucking adored her and how serious and completely she just owned him and he never wanted that to change.

Bickslow drew a breath, "Man, you were the one telling me to take it slow with her, be careful…" He glared at Cristoff and his younger brother shrugged, having the grace to look at least a little sheepish.

"Yeah well, You still should, but you two have been knocking boots a little while now, time to fess up." He said.

Bickslow squirmed a bit in his seat. "…if she bolts…I am so blaming you two." He said. Confessions he was actually sort of known for, trouble was they had never been reciprocated, at least not in his experience. "You two had it fucking easy, Dragon magic getting your women all into you as much as you were into them so you guys could figure shit out and not fuck up so much." He grumbled.

Both men laughed.

"I kinda started mating with Tinkerbell without even knowing what the fuck I was doing to us both." Cobra snorted.

"And I went a year before I admitted anything and seduced and fucked women right under Wendys nose, one in a hotel room right next to hers, kept her and Charle up all night fucking that barmaid until she was screaming." Cristoff put in.

Bickslow snorted then "Ok…maybe you guys can fuck up pretty bad." He admitted.

"Lets not leave out Laxus and letting his first mark on Emma fade because he let himself get so damn busy." Cobra added.

"Or Gajeel almost losing Levy because he wouldn't get over his damn self." Cristoff chuckled.

"Ok, so we all fuck up regardless of magic intervention." Bickslow waved a hand.

"She won't bolt. I'm not going to waste more time on this topic now. I want a stiff drink and they don't serve them here." Cobra said, rising and the other two followed him.

They were just stepping back out into the gray day when Cristoff nudged Bickslow and nodded toward a shop a few down from the corner the girls had walked around.

Vander was coming out, large bags vanishing into shadows. He had a fairly large storage ability with his magic, and inanimate objects weren't disturbed by shadows so he tended to use it. Always had spare clothes and such on him in case he needed something not made of sculpted shadow.

"Hey baby bro." Bickslow called and Vanders head snapped around, a quick smile on his face.

"Wait…you guys slip your leashes or did they cut you lose? Maybe you're running errands for them? Picking up the less fun things to shop for?" He smirked and was greeted by three unfriendly looks, which made his smile broader.

"I'd poison you but you like it." Cobra snapped. Vander wagged his eyebrows "Hell yeah, give me more to add to my arsenal, some new poisons to weave through shadows would be nice, I'd even name em after you big brother, "snakesucker number 9" or something…I don't know, I'd have to check with marketing."

"Little shit." Cobra suppressed a smile, of all of his new brothers, he could trade barbs with Vander all day and the cocky younger mage just shot em right back and never got mad. He was almost as good as Lucy.

"Get your shopping done?" Bickslow asked, ruffling his brothers hair, a bit annoyed it fell right back into place and almost looked better. Vander had that wave to his hair, made it just always look fucking perfect. The ass didn't spend a penny on product but Bickslow could gel the hell out of his and it would fall every which way, Vander could rinse his out in dirty water and it would fall into place and look ready for a magazine ad.

He knew Vander did little with it too, kept it usually above his shoulders in length, usually just like it was right them, parted down the center falling in soft shining wavy layers, even had the damn rusty red highlights because he did so much work outside and cloaking in shadows didn't protect him from the suns rays. He always had a deeper than average tan and highlights in his dark hair. Fucker didn't even try.

"Actually, yeah, finished that a while ago, just picking up some things for Dad, he's got a little job for me to get done so I won't see you guys till the ball tomarrow night." Vander replied, noting with a smirk his brother glaring at him. Bickslow had one bit of vanity. His hair, his blue and black streaked hair was a point of pride for him and with all the styles and fashions he chased, he'd always been annoyed his hair was a bit rebellious.

It always looked decent though, he hadn't cared for the tri-hawk thing, but that had grown out. Vander narrowed his eyes "Your ass should hit the salon. Up one block then left and on the left. Mens spa, seriously, I can leave later for what Dad has me doing, lets do that, Cristoff needs a fucking haircut and Erik you should get one too." Vander declared.

Bickslow frowned, then smiled slowly "Ok…there's a women's attached to it, I know the one…hell, used to go there once a month." He'd been hoping his barber back in Magnolia would open back up but this was better. The spa here would do full body treatments and he hadn't had his whole body worked over in a while. At least not this way.

Cobra looked at the others doubtfully but went with them, if it all looked like too much, he'd fucking walk out, and he was betting that was going to happen.

However, once He called Lucy to let her know where he and the others were, his bright idea of skipping out with his mate was dashed by the women deciding they wanted a spa day themselves and he was soon sitting in a massaging chair getting a pedicure, something he'd initially agreed to because it involved someone touching the least amount of him and a part he wasn't particularly protective of.

Later, though he would vehemently deny it, Lucy would never have to go to the nail salon alone again, he fucking loved pedicures.

Wendy arrived in time to prevent Cristoff from removing much of the length from his hair, insistent she liked It long and Cristoff wasn't much for fighting with her about it, ultimately though, after she'd circled the chair he sat in and eyed the stylist, his soft smile and chuckle "Whatever you want Wendy." Just melted her and she whispered to the stylist "Cut it however he wanted to when he first came in." and left to join the women, waiting for a few minutes on Erza who was laying down death threats on the staff that if they put a mohawk back on her man she'd see them all dead.

Bickslow could only grin, he hadn't planned to go back to that anyway, too fucking hard to maintain especially with his helmet and the visors he wore so often, but he happily let Erza think she'd influenced him and he was going with just evening everything out to make her happy.

By the end of the day, everyone had been pampered to the point they relaxed and grinning. Vander had vanished, as seemed to be one of his habits, to pursue the "job" Arman had given him and, knowing their father did tend to give the youngest brother of the Pradesh family tasks he often couldn't talk about, nobody questioned it.

Except Erza.

"What would your father need him to do that would take him from a wonderful spa day right before Christmas?" She asked as Bickslow closed their bedroom door.

"He's a spy Kitten, Vander has, since he was able to fucking walk, been able to get things nobody else could. Find people, things, nobody else could. It all relates to his magic. He can pass through shadows, manipulate them, mold them to his needs but he can also…sort of…take things from them, get information through them, it's hard to explain because it's not my magic and I have enough trouble explaining and even understanding my own shit at times. It's always been that way though, with Vander, if you needed something done, something…not simple, something maybe flirting with pushing into dark shit, you ask Vander. Dad's an Ambassador, he's endlessly dealing with international bullshit on some seriously nasty scales, Vander has always worked quietly for him and Farron, off the books, helped them get shit done. Same with the Steel Council, Magic Council, Royal family. You need something handled you can't go through open channels for? Vander." Bickslow sighed.

He loved his little brother, would trust him with his own life, HAD trusted him. When Bickslow had needed to smuggle himself out of Bosco, Vander was the one who had gotten him safely out. When He'd needed to find a banned book the Magic Council of Bosco was going to burn on Seith Magic, Vander had recovered it for him, come to his home in Magnolia one night out of nowhere, set it on his coffee table as he'd gaped up at his younger brother who had literally just appeared in swirling smoky shadows before him, bleeding from a split lip and looking like he'd just been through hell.

"You said you wished you could save this book from the info purge the MC is doing in Bosco…so I got it out for you, don't tell anyone you have it ok? Last copy anywhere." Vander had said tiredly, then plopped down on his couch beside him to watch the movie he'd had on while Bickslow had reverently taken up the book and read it, cover to cover, not putting it down for two days.

That book was still safe in a hidden little vault under the floor of his house along with some other precious tomes. Freed had read it all too, delighted Bickslow had it, and he'd helped Bickslow make and secure the little vault under the house too, storing some of his own treasures there.

So Bickslow loved his baby brother, trusted him, but he held no doubts at all his brother was, of all of them, the deadliest member of the family and had probably, by far, killed the most people in his time. That Vander still had a light if sarcastic and arrogant sense of humor about everything just spoke to how good his brother was.

He was born in shadows, consumed by them, pursued by them from birth because of his magic, but his soul was bright, a piercing beautiful silver color, it was a stark light, but light never the less. He had integrity, morals, honor. It was why he wasn't a formal actual agent of the Steel Council.

They had offered him positions working directly for them in a formal capacity since Vander had been 13. He always turned them down, telling them he was content as a guild mage and they could always request him for work through White Sea. They had put their seal on him anyway after he completed some particular mission he couldn't say anything about.

"I see." Erza said quietly, looking thoughtful. Fairy Tail really didn't have Vanders equivalent in its ranks, but then, he was a rare type of mage and boasting 5 dragon slayers she supposed Fairy Tail had more than its share of rare mages.

Gajeel was likely the closest they came to their own Vander.

She still really wanted to duel Vander too, his magic was similar to her own but the differences were something she wanted to see, test, for herself.

Bickslow had busied himself putting away the clothes that had come from their shopping and she hung her gown, nicely steamed out. Placing the shoes and gloves by it in the closet.

When she emerged she stopped, watching Bickslow pull his shirt off, remove the belt from his jeans.

He was facing away from her, looking out the large window into the woods that were thick at the front of the house. When they had been young he and his siblings had climbed so many of those trees and hung lacrima through them, so at night, charged by the sun from the day, they were gently lit by small glittering glowing orbs in colors like the sea lit with at night.

It was their way of surrounding their home with the Seas light at night so all of their rooms enjoyed it somehow. With 7 children, as big as the house was, all the rooms couldn't be facing the sea for them.

It had been right after he had adopted Bickslow. Arman had fought so hard for him. His real family hadn't known how to deal with him, his parents had been good people, but a Seith mage, like a Shadowquip, wasn't easy to handle and nobody had known that was what Bickslow was then, the pieces hadn't been put together until he'd fallen in with one of the scouts for one of Boscos dark Seith guilds.

Back then the country still hadn't started regulating their Seith mages, no, that had come a short time after Bickslows parents were murdered by the guild trying to keep him. The guild Arman Pradesh had taken on because it had killed his friends and was holding their son, planning terrible things for him.

Arman had Farron and Kaleb involved, both young mages themselves, Kaleb fresh from his soaking in Immaculate light, his power still erratic at times. Grenlow, the Master of White Sea, Kalebs mentor had brought in White Seas best teams of dark mage hunters to help. The battle was terrible. Bickslow had been being prepared to sacrifice, was about to become what Papa and his other souls were, and then, as shadows, darkness the swirling lights of the Seiths eyes had been all around him, light had flooded the chamber, light that had burned, blinded.

He'd heard a voice, a young boys voice, so clearly "Keep your eyes closed, in a minute, we'll be there, me and my brother, I'm Farron, I'm only a couple years older than you, I like climbing trees, do you like to climb?" The voice had talked to him, and the Seiths couldn't hear it, they were all screaming, blood running from their ears, eyes burning in their faces but Bickslows eyes were closed and all he could hear was the other boys voice talking to him and his own answering.

"I'm Bickslow, I'm 6 years old, I haven't gotten to climb trees, I'd like to though." He'd answered.

"There's lots of trees at my house, my dad is going to be your new dad if you want, we can climb trees, and there's even a beach by the house that's all ours, we can go swimming." Farron had replied.

"In the Sea? I love the Sea…I was born on it." Bickslow said.

"Yes, in the Grass Sea, it comes right up by our house, you can hear the waves, the Grass break is only a short ways out from our beach. It's cool you were born on it, maybe you can help me learn how to walk on the grasses, I fall down when I try." Farron kept him talking, right up to when he felt a small hand in his and he opened his eyes to meet friendly sky blue eyes.

"We can go now, Dad is waiting, that's Kaleb, would you like to be our brother Bickslow?" And Bickslow had looked at Kaleb, wide pale lavender eyes, cheeky grin and pale blonde hair. He'd been transfixed by the brothers, and hadn't looked around much, Farron talking to him and keeping his interest as they had left the shattered guild, weaved through fallen Seiths.

They were scooped up then by adults, Kaleb by a huge man with long black hair and piercing steel colored eyes that wore flowing white and blue clothes. Farron by a Red haired woman and Bickslow by the man who became his father.

Farron, was a sound mage, a powerful one even back then, whos mastery of his magic had been something he'd almost been born with. His natural calm, his gift for knowing how to soothe people and get them through hard things, Farron had taken to work as a diplomat like a fish to water. Working by their fathers side from a very young age. He'd found Xally and Cristoff when Bickslow was 14 and already working on doing what had ultimately ended up forcing him to leave Bosco.

His musings were cut short by Erzas hands sliding from his waist up his chest, her arms closing around him. "Your deep in thought." She observed softly and he smiled. "Just remembering hanging those lights in those trees when I was a kid." He told her.

She smiled, looking out at the glittering little lights, like tiny fairies in the trees. She'd loved seeing them the first night they had been at the estate. Everything about the Pradesh family home was warm, inviting, comforting. Arman had tailored his home around the needs of growing mages from sad pasts, so they could be happy and grow up feeling safe and loved.

It showed. Even as an adult she could feel it.

He turned in her arms so he was facing her and one arm slid around her while the free hand cupped her chin and he searched her eyes until she was just lost in his. The deep dark red color of them, his endless smile, he was almost never without at least a hint of it.

She wondered how Arman had put that smile, that endless ability to find humor, levity, in almost everything, into all of his children because she'd not met a one of the Pradesh children without it.

It was something she loved about Bickslow, his smile, his laugh. Her life had been so serious, so bland until she'd started spending so much time with him, started letting him into her life, her heart.

That same painful clench in her chest she had felt at the dress shop that morning, the same blind panic that he was going to walk away, that when they got back to Magnolia and life started going back to normal, he would just leave, she would go her way, he would go his because she didn't mean as much to him as he did to her.

She had no idea why or how she did this, just fell in love so hard, so completely with a man before she knew if they felt anything even close to what she did. She seemed to keep doing it though. First Jellal, now Bickslow.

So much for the stoic, level headed and disciplined knight she was supposed to be. She certainly had no control over her own heart.

He was kissing her then, and Bickslow was so very good at kissing, how could she live without this if he decided he didn't want her? Decided some other woman would be better for him? Jellal had done that, and most men couldn't even start anything with her at all she was so difficult to love it seemed.

"You're doing it again." He said softly, and he was guiding her over to the bed, turning and laying back, pulling her with him onto it, on top of him. "I…I don't know what you mean." She managed, but her voice cracked from the anxiety she was feeling. He rolled over, pinning her under him, kissing her again and she threaded her fingers into his hair, it was like silk now, after being trimmed so it was evened out into better managed layers of blue and black, it looked amazing now, no more grown out tri-hawk.

Now dark blue streaked through rich black and his comical look was gone, he just looked gorgeous now. "Tell me what it is Kitten…let me help if I can…" He asked softly, kissing her again, trailing more kisses across her cheek to nuzzle into her hair and work at her sensitive ear.

"I…you can't…it's just me…I'm upsetting myself…it's nothing…" She said, trying hard to keep the tremor out of her voice, to sound light hearted, like it really was nothing.

Bickslow knew though, he knew it wasn't "nothing" she was tense in his arms, and she usually relaxed so well into his touches, but even as he pulled her to the center of the bed, opened up her blouse, kissing down her throat, she was still on the verge of tears and he remembered what Cobra had said.

He felt odd sometimes with her, being the one who sort of led their relationship when he himself was so awkward and unsure having no more experience than she did with any of it. But while he'd been hurt more often than her, he had a feeling he'd not been hurt as deeply.

While she'd maybe not had as many romances as he'd had, it wasn't for a lack of wanting them, it was because men were intimidated by her to the point they never gave her that chance, never got over themselves and approached her, didn't even flirt at or compliment her. That neglect he knew had always bothered her, hurt her.

Both feet, eyes closed. That was his way of moving forward, taking leaps all entwined in blind faith and hope.

So when he pulled back, rested his forehead on hers a moment, he drew back a bit more and when her eyes met his, all flooded with worry and anxiety, hardly romantic by any means but he had to try, hope maybe Cobra and Cristoff were right.

"I love you Erza." He said it, and could have high fived himself over how his voice held, didn't crack or sound weird.

Her eyes widened and her lips parted and for a moment, a long one that was agonizing, he saw what he had in the little musicians eyes when he'd told her that. The shock, the absence of anything but surprise and disbelief and he waited for the recoil, the frown, the admission she didn't feel the same way, started to brace himself for it when tears started filling her eyes along with this expression he'd never seen any woman direct his way but he'd always prayed for.

"You…you love me?" She choked out. He smiled, nodding, not trusting his voice much right then.

"You're not tired of me….don't think I'm too much? I did interrupt your fight with the thief…I do that, I love a good fight and when I saw what he'd…mmm" She was stopped, couldn't continue, he'd let her, hadn't actually stopped her from talking because he figured maybe she needed to, so instead of capturing her mouth he'd gone for her chest, he really, truly loved these front clasping bras when she wore them, he needed to go through her lingerie and eliminate all the others and only ever let her buy these in the future.

He rolled his teeth over a sensitive peak, feeling it firm in him mouth and moaning softly against her soft flesh. It was enough to derail her train of thought, get her pushing her fingers into his hair again.

"I thought you knew Kitten, I haven't been hiding it." He told her, moving to the other breast while his hand closed over the one he left.

"Didn't want to assume…I did that before and I was…wrong." She breathed, arching up into his touch, his free hand was soft at the back of her knee, tracing up the back of her thigh when she lifted her leg, angling under to the sensitive skin on the inside.

Fucking Jellal. Bickslow promised himself next time he saw the guy he was punching him in the face.

"I should have just said it, told you, not made you wonder then…I do Kitten…I am head over heels for you." He admitted, and she was smiling, kissing him, just the joyful thing she'd been earlier, except now she was all handsy and fun too.

"I love you too Bickslow, so much it scares me…so much I was terrified you didn't feel anything like what I do…" She held him still, looking seriously up into his eyes.

"…I know I seem strong but I'm not…not in this…in love I'm soft and scared and shy, I've learned the hard way armor and swords don't help." She said.

He smiled "Yeah well, I'm the one that does the stabbing Kitten, you're supposed to be the soft one, I'm the one that gets hard."

She laughed and kissed him and there weren't anymore words, they just didn't need them, she was loved, he loved her, it was all she needed and she wrapped that knowledge around her heart then wrapped her body around his. He was all that mattered to her, and she was all he'd ever wanted, a woman not afraid of him, they were so similar in that.

Both intimidating to others for different reasons, he'd been right there, nearby for years and she'd rarely looked his way, so wrapped up in her fantasies about Jellal and the guild and everything she just hadn't. He'd admired her, thought her beautiful that whole time but had done the same thing, too wrapped up in other things to think twice about pursuing her.

She had so many soft spots too, he knew them all, there were places on every womans body that weren't obvious points of pleasure but Bickslow had grown up learning all about those things, encouraged by the pleasure he got from women to get better and better about giving it back until he'd gotten to where he was usually giving more than they were and it didn't matter, because seeing them, hearing them, feeling them so soft and hot and writhing beneath him became the real pleasure for him.

Erza was just responsive in the extreme too, she had no inhibitions about her body, once their clothes were off she often took over, led him through what she wanted and he went along in delighted, overwhelmed pleasure the whole way. Sometimes her experiments got a little strange, didn't work at all, but trying was still fun, and he loved that she was so adventurous.

Tonight though he kept control, worshipping her body, bringing all he knew to bear and smiling, lips pressing into her belly beneath her navel as just his touch, firm but gentle, all over her, paying attention to those places that brought soft gasps and moans, the back of her knee, inside of her thighs right below her smoothly curved rump, kneading that two, because she always groaned in delight when he grabbed her ass, curled his long fingers around the muscle and dug in, her collar bone, wrists, where her neck curved just below her skull, the soft skin beneath her ears, all of it could be kissed, kneaded, touched until she was a writhing mess.

She came as he was working her body that way and he had barely touched her breasts, hadn't done more than ghosted his fingers over her center, but he smiled, knowing that her whole body was alive now, tuned up so every touch would cause more sensation and he was going to use it.

Before she was all the way back, while her breathing was still rapid he slid into her, settled between her thighs and propped himself up on one arm, holding her hip with the other, watching her face as he pushed all the way into her and it was almost his undoing.

Gods she was beautiful. Her legs clamped around him with their usual force, Laxus had joked that it wouldn't surprise him at all if Erza broke him in half, and he'd never tell his friend but the woman had bruised him a few times now. He loved it though, he didn't want a softer woman, Erza was soft everywhere she needed to be for him.

"More…Bix..more!" She begged and he smiled again, dipping his arms and scooping her legs up, hooking her knees over his arms and shoving her up in the bed so her hips came off the mattress and he was pounding downward into her, it was exactly what she needed, he was hitting the soft spot inside her with every thrust and she was screaming, finally crying out his name and his endurance was washed away with her climax, the delicious pulsing of her center on him taking him with her.

"I love you Bickslow…I love you." She panted, curling into his arms as he slid beside her and he groaned, the combination of her heated body pressing into him and her soft words just reaching every part of him.

"I love you too Kitten, with all my heart."

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

A/N I have more for our group, have no fear. I've brought more of Bixys family into this story than I even did in Fate Decides. I had really not planned to use OCs so much, this is Musiceras fault because she wanted Cristoff and Wendy together. I hope you all enjoy them. And no, I'm not ending this with them in Bosco, they still do need to get home, they have things there I need them to do before Lacrima Draconian is done…Whyx,,,I hadn't planned to settle Vander down, he's a wicked soul, a roguish young man. Not sure any of Fairy Tails women could really tame that one…but then, Wendy did tame Cristoff…DESNA


	45. Chapter 45 Dealing with Royalty

A/N Ok, warning, Last part of this chapter gets racey, Kaleb made Cana a little promise and he delivers.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

"Just a quick job son, In and out, you don't even need to miss the ball…" Vander mocked, grumbling under his breath as he narrowly avoided yet another light beam trip wire, even his shadows could set these fucking things off, and while yes he was able to drift in the air, there were fucking light beams all up all over the damn place so he was wall crawling, in shadows, slithering through all of the bases of the light beams.

The beams weren't visible to the naked eye, but Vanders shadow eyes saw them just fine, very little could escape his vision once his magic was activated. The damn things were motion sensitive as well as disruption sensing so his movement had to be precise and careful.

He could do it, was doing it, had traversed 9/10ths of the hall and was working at getting the damned sliding door to open, having to disable several more sensors and hold them in stasis before he could open the damn thing too.

All of this for a small clockwork piece of something his father said the man who had it should not have.

Vander was inclined to agree since the fucking thing was a miniature time fissure generator that could cause all sorts of hell to break lose, stolen from the rubble of Sevens damn labs, he should have set bigger bombs there damn it.

He'd had no idea that crazy fucked up incest tortured asshole of a Prince wasn't just into torturing people and stealing fucking souls and magic. Bastard had built all sorts of insane devices.

He couldn't fucking believe he was currently breaking into the fucking Steel Council headquarters, in Councilman Jestias offices no less, a man who could have Vanders balls made into earrings for his wife, who would fucking wear them, and stealing something Jestia really should not have all because Jestia wanted to up the import and trade of slaves through Atla.

No, Vander didn't agree with that, he hated the damn slave trade, wished owning slaves wasn't legal in Bosco, it was one of the few things in his country he really wasn't proud of. He hated that Boscos airships made the slave trade thrive so well and that even in the beautiful city of Pelerno, there were slave houses, where slaves were processed, health checked, pierced and branded before they were exported across Earthland for sale.

It was illegal to sell or trade slaves in Bosco, but they could be owned, those who owned them just had to take a day and a half long trip on an airship into Desierto or a shorter easier one into Minstrel and they could buy all the slaves they wanted and bring them back to Bosco.

Jestia wanted to make that easier, was using this little device as a threat against the trade commissioners who enforced the laws on the slaves moving through Bosco. He'd been hinting he'd alter a timeline so certain elections didn't end the way they had ended. Removing Jestia from his position in the Steel Council would take time, but before that could be done, the illegal bit of leverage the man held had to be taken from him.

Nobody even knew if this damn thing worked, let alone exactly what it did, but the threat was enough, and it had reached Armans attention via Farron, who never seemed to miss anything and had finally uncovered why the Trade Commission in Bosco had eased up its enforcement of laws about kidnapped people being processed as slaves, essentially robbing them of their identities and citizenship. It had caused a sudden rush of kidnappings in Atla, Midi and Stella and a few high ranked nobility had been reduced into slaves in the last week, disrupting negotiations and causing tensions throughout the regions.

Tensions Bosco really didn't need right now.

So here Vander was, removing a keystone in the whole mess. He got the compartment open, removed the device, placing a naked Sevenese fertility god figurine in its place, his own idea, he thought it was funny as hell and wished he could be there to see Councilman Jestias face when he found it instead of this weird hunk of clockwork machinery he was sliding into a containment bag and depositing into shadows to store until he was back out of here.

He was straining right now, holding cameras, sensors and keeping his own form hovering between reality and shadow, but he'd done this before. His magic was being stretched so he hurried to close everything back up, restored the sensors and slithered back through the fucking mess of beams again.

Once out of the hidden hall behind Jestias office he slid down the elevator shaft and careful not to so much as move a shadow anywhere a camera might see, left the Steel Council building, not stepping into the cool December evening air until he was near the Consulate and lights flashing around the entrance greeting the guests to the ball were casting deep shadows he could pass through with ease.

He was already in his tux, and fixed his tie, sliding in easily with the steady flow of people, on up to the elevator to his fathers offices where Farron greeted him.

His oldest brother smiled at him "Done?" He asked, opening a case. Vander rolled his eyes "You doubted me?" He asked, pulling out the bagged item and placing it into the case, securing it into the magic foam that quickly encased it before Farron snapped the case shut and it vanished.

"Not for a moment. Father is hoping you'll sing tonight, since Emzadi isn't attending." Farron said smoothly, brushing out a crease in the sleeve of his black jacket.

Vander sighed "I suppose I should, makes my alibi hard to refute when I'm seen by several hundred guests. Something I already know I hope." He smirked, stepping into the elevator with Farron.

"Frank Sinatra, maybe "I won't dance" Father likes that one." Farron said. Vander nodded "Uh huh, one of your favorites too, yeah, that'll work, should be soon, makes it easy to say I was getting ready."

Farron led him behind the crowds of people through a hall and opened a door, several musicians looked up and Vander smirked "You're the first one on." Farron smiled, leaving Vander to introduce himself to the band.

A few minutes later Lucy and Levy were both getting ready to drag their reluctant mates to the dance floor as the band came onto the grand stage at the head of the room when they saw Vander take the microphone as the music started.

Cristoff was smirking, glancing at their father who was already among several dignitaries chatting away. "Vander can sing?" Wendy asked. "One of his more refined talents." Cristoff snickered "Father even had him in lessons."

The ball was impressive, happy, bright and bursting with every manner of guest. From famous artists to dignitaries, diplomats and royalty. Princess Kurino was in attendance, already watching Vander with predatory gray eyes.

"We're going to have to do some careful maneuvering or she'll be wanting to take him home with her tonight." Kalen said quietly to his father as he took Cana out to the dance floor. Arman nodded faintly at his son, seeing what Kaleb meant when he saw the princess.

Keeping his sons off her plate had always been an uphill battle for him. He hadn't chosen them because of how they looked, he really hadn't, each one had needed a family, and he'd been blessed enough to be able to provide that. The fact they had all grown into tall uncommonly handsome young men, and both of his daughters were beauties just happened, it hadn't been planned.

Most Boscan men worried about their daughters, about ending up with many grandchildren by many fathers, it was a common thing in Bosco really. But Arman had spent more time dealing with the fact his sons gathered attention from women like bees to honey and since the King had 2 daughters, one who refused to settle down and had very unhappy kinks when it came to the bedroom, his sons, because they were his sons and so ended up being seen by the aristocracy a lot, had gotten Kurinos attention since she'd been of age.

Farron, as a decorated diplomat, had been able to side step her gracefully. His political position made it unwise for Kurino to pursue him, so she had only ever requested him, and he had always, every time, managed to neatly get out of spending time with her. Bickslow had left the country before she had gotten to him, and Vander had finally done enough even his father and brothers hadn't been able to shield him anymore, so she'd had him.

She was making her rounds, and Wendy leaned closer to Cristoff when she finally reached them. Wendy knew her husbands history with the princess, he'd told her. But he was out of the womans reach now. Mated, married, the thick wedding band on his finger attached to the chains that ran up the back of his hand to the wide white gold band around his wrist, Wendys birthstone glinting there, peeking from beneath the cuff of his jacket sleeve.

"I had heard you had married Cristoff, I am pleased to meet you, Mrs. Pradesh." The Princess smiled and Wendy bowed, shoving back her instant irritation, instant protectiveness, possessiveness, all of the things her dragon had rolling off of it within her.

"You are a lucky woman, Cristoff is a fine catch for a husband, I would have liked to have had him myself, but I understand Dragon Slayers cannot chose really who they fall in love with. Still…I will miss you and your skills Cristoff." She smiled, a dangerous glint in the gray eyes he didn't miss, though he kept his expression as it always had been around Kurino, passive, pleasant.

Her eyes darted to the side of him then she smiled again at him "I am pleased though another of your brothers suddenly is available, I saw the papers signed for his pardon, watched my father pen them personally bringing him back to full status and rank in Bosco, and he and I…well…we've never had the pleasure…until now." She purred and Cristoff risked following her glance, seeing Bickslow sitting with Erza, the two looking so happy, lovingly at each other and his stomach dropped realizing what the Princess was saying.

"I shall need to introduce myself tonight…make sure we get to know each other at least as well as I know most all of your brothers." Glancing over again he saw Farron then, and was thrilled to see him, hadn't seen him in ages. Bickslow practically leaped from his seat to embrace their oldest brother, those two hadn't seen each other in years. But Kurinos look only got more predatory and she sighed.

"All the brothers Pradesh under one roof, and the one I can not touch…who I'd like the most…" Her eyes narrowed on Farron and Cristoff managed to keep a smug look from his face. Farrons position made him immune to Kurinos political pull, and so she had wanted him all the more because she couldn't have him, because he could say no to her requests and even if she whined to her father about rejection the King wouldn't risk one of his best Ambassadors to his daughters difficult tastes and desires.

He already pushed limits he wasn't comfortable with by pressuring the Master of White Sea to entertain his daughter, something he hadn't wanted to do, he needed the strong loyalty of that guild.

A recently raised from shame and exile brother though, Bickslow couldn't deny Kurino at all, it would be like slapping the king in the face if he'd really been granted his pardon from exile.

As soon as Kurino moved away Cristoff took Wendys hand and hurried to Bickslow, watching Farron pull out a folded document and hand it to his brother, Bickslow had opened it and was wide eyed, grinning, blinking in joyful relief at it when Cristoff reached them.

"I'm pardoned! Cristoff! Look! I…I can have my holdings back! I can come and go from Bosco without hiding or using one of your names!" Bickslow was grinning and Farron was too.

"Yes, like the last time you used mine, you know it took me almost a year to straighten that all out. That damn tavern owner thought he'd hosted a Boscan Ambassador and been stiffed on a bar tab by me!" Farron said and Bickslow shrugged.

"Couldn't be helped, really, I was passed out at another tavern, Laxus had teleported us across town and I didn't even realize it until we got home!" Bickslow snickered.

Cristoff exchanged a glance with Wendy "I'm so happy for you Bix! Farron, I hate to rip you from Bickslow, I know you guys haven't seen each other in ages but, just a word for a few minutes?" He said.

Wendy moved in, asking to see the pardon letter while Bickslow explained what it would mean to him, why he was so happy and Cristoff took Farron a little ways away, leaning in close.

"Kurino knows, she has her eye on Bickslow, hinted not too subtley that she would be immediately asking for him so she could "get to know him" as well as she knows Kaleb and Vander and I." Cristoff said.

Farron winced, this wasn't what he'd wanted at all. He'd worked hard with his father to get this pardon in front of the king while the take down of the royal family of Seven was still fresh in his mind. So he could hand that pardon to Bickslow as sort of the ultimate Christmas present.

He had no idea just what his younger brothers relationship with the redhead was, but judging by how they had been looking at each other when he'd walked up, it was serious, or getting that way and he hadn't even been introduced to her yet.

He knew who she was of course, Fairy Tails Fairy Queen Titania was a legend respected even in Bosco, seeing her at his brothers side made him happy. But Kurino had a gift for ruining things like that.

She'd been pursuing him for years, and he'd been able to always say no, had worked trying to keep his brothers out of her clutches too but could only do so much. The King wanted his daughter happy, so he had upheld that antiquated law when the Steel Council had been about to abolish it, letting Kurino demand unpromised men attend her bed if she was considering them for marriage to her.

Only men with some political weight, like himself, could refuse her without the King stepping in and demanding to know why the crown princess of Bosco was being refused.

He hadn't even considered getting Bickslow pardoned would put him in this position.

"Erza, his girlfriend…she wouldn't handle it well if Kurino took her "right" with him, we may have to get him out of the country again…" Cristoff said quietly.

"What? Who? What the fuck are you two looking like scared rabbits about?" Vander approached them frowning slightly and both older men glared at him.

"Father and I petitioned the king to pardon Bickslow, and he did." Farron said. Vander beamed "That's fantastic!" He said, starting to head over toward Bix to congratulate him but Farron snagged his arm "Kurino knows…and she's never had Bickslow, he left the country before she'd started…prowling."

Vander frowned "No…Erza wouldn't handle that well." He said "Bixy might get through it but it would fuck the hell out of his relationship with Erza."

"Sort of my point." Cristoff said. "She's already ticked Kaleb and I are off the menu, came over and practically insulted Wendy a minute ago and made it clear Bix is in her sights."

Farron frowned. "Even if he and Erza promised to each other tonight it's Christmas eve, we couldn't get it documented until the day after Christmas and by then, if she's serious, she could have him, he'd have nothing to stand behind."

Cristoff was frowning, Vander was shaking his head "I mean…I could get him out of the capital, make him disappear again, but that wouldn't look good, not right after he was re-instated."

"No… and he doesn't have to." Farron heaved a sigh, pushing a hand through his dark hair and looking toward the princess. "I'll handle it." He said firmly and Cristoff and Vander both frowned.

Farron had, all of their lives, been the one everyone looked up to, could rely on when things got bad. He'd gone to work at the age of 12, was full time at the consulate by 15, negotiating trade agreements by 16, to lighten their fathers work load, so he could be home, be there for them. Like when everything had gone down, and Arman was needed to be there for his children, to fight to get Cristoff Wendy and Lucy back, Farron had dropped everything and flown to Atla to take over there in heated trade negotiations so Arman could be free to be there for them all.

They didn't even know how often that had happened over the years, but they knew Farron worked hard took the more dangerous assignments so their father could be safe, so he could take time off for them. Now, seeing him not hesitate to step in to protect Bickslow and his new, fragile relationship with the redhaired Fairy wasn't a surprise but they didn't have to like it.

"What are you going to do?" Cristoff demanded.

Farron gave him a thin smile "Make her an offer I doubt she'll refuse. Just let father know I won't be home tonight as planned. Hopefully tomarrow morning, I want to be there for Erik and Lucys ceremony, I WILL be there." He said firmly.

Cristoff caught his arm. "When she's done call me, I'll come get you, she'll take you to her penthouse…I know it too well, I can be on her balcony in an instant, help clean you up and get you to the house."

Farron met his brothers firm gaze and looked pained "It really isn't fair I've been able to say no to her while the rest of you haven't. It's always bothered me, think of this as penance in a way." He snorted, then pulled away and crossed the room to the Princess, who looked absolutely delighted to see him come to her side.

Cristoff cringed. He'd been a favorite of the Princess for a couple of years until he and Wendy had finally come together, the warm metal on his finger and wrist were like a shield, Kurino couldn't even flirt with him now without making herself look bad. He glanced to Bickslow, seeing his brothers concerned frown, Farron going to the princess hadn't escaped the Seiths notice.

Cristoff glanced at Vander and they headed for Bickslow.

"Ambassador Pradesh, how delightful to see you! I was just telling your brother Cristoff I watched my father sign the petition to pardon your younger brother, bringing him back into Boscan society. I am looking forward to getting to know him better!" She said brightly as he bent over her hand.

Farron narrowed his pale eyes on her and she had to remind herself to retain her composure. Farron Pradesh was so very much his fathers son, the same handsome elegance about him, same strong masculine charm. His mother was said to have been one of the fairest women in Bosco, her father had wanted to make her his Queen but she had chosen Arman. Bore him this incredible son before she had died so tragically.

Her father said often Farron resembled his beautiful mother, with dark red/brown hair streaked with deeper reds and golds from time in the sun, his recent time in Atla under its punishing rays had made even more highlights streak his hair, his tan skin even deeper in the healthy shade caused by the sun.

She knew he trained, knew he was a powerful mage and handled more dangerous diplomatic missions so his father was spared them. She had seen him, talked with him at dozens of events year after year, watching him grow taller, more handsome, charming, confident and she had started requesting his attendance of her as soon as her father had allowed her to start doing that.

She was called the Warrior Princess for a reason, she had led armies, fought in clan wars, border disputes, even in Icenburg a couple of times. Her father lacked a son, and as the eldest of his two daughters, his younger already married, he had proudly let her fight and carry his banner into war.

Years among armies had made her hard, cold. The atrocities of war were not spared on her, she'd seen them, endured them. It was her heavy hand that had crushed Sevens invasion into Fiore, pulled her father from his indifference so Bosco acted before it was too late and Seven acquired far too much.

She knew she was brutal, knew she was too hard on suitors to the point offers rarely came for her hand anymore and her father had been forced to allow her this power she had to take men to her bed lest they politically ruin their families.

The Pradesh sons were like a goldmine to her, a treasure of handsome, virile, strong young men all in one family but this one in front of her, he was the finest prize to her, and one she had never been able to touch, because his own accomplishments, his own position in the kingdom, held her out of the control she could master.

Her father respected this young man, and would not tolerate her forcing him into her bed, when Farron Pradesh turned down her requests, she could not get her father to tell him to comply.

So she had taken his brothers, had immensely enjoyed them, been particularly brutal with them, letting out the worst of her darker pleasures with them, especially Cristoff, tall, dark, beautiful Cristoff with his heavily muscled body and eyes like a midnight sky that would turn to silver the more she teased him. The Dragon Slayer was a favorite, able to take the worst she had and still give her pleasure, his snarls and growls, his sharp fangs, all thrilled her and she'd enjoyed him, but she'd always wished the midnight blue eyes were instead pale like the mid-day sky. That the Raven colored hair was mahogany streaked with gold.

She'd trade those primal growls for Farrons smooth voice, sharp fangs for his soft mouth, heavy muscle for Farrons more lithe body any day but he refused her.

Now here he stood in front of her and she kept her eyes cool, her face pleasant, though had she her way, he'd be on the polished floor, fine silk tuxedo torn from him so she could have him right there.

"Yes I've seen you making your way toward Bickslow. Do you know his girlfriend? Titania, Erza Scarlett of Fairy Tail, a very well respected knight in Fiore." He smiled, watching her, he knew she had ruined relationships for men, seemed to take pleasure in doing so, but Titania was famous, perhaps that alone would dissuade the Princess from doing anything, angering a famed mage from Fiore by taking her boyfriend.

"Really, the whole "Boyfriend, Girlfriend" thing some cultures have is precious don't you think? Meaningless, no commitment at all, just some silly title placed on someone instead of anything real. If they meant anything real to each other they would be promised, or engaged, proven they meant to stay together and keep each other, but I know there is no real commitment between them, all the better for me." She laughed.

Farron didn't frown, though he wanted to. So much for that hope.

"You mean to have him then?" He asked bluntly. The princess' eyes hardened, even in Bosco in a high society environment like this such things weren't broadcasted, especially when they involved royalty. She waved a hand and her attendants made privacy happen, the Princess walking to a spot away from the dancefloor and the brighter lighting to level a hard look at Farron.

"I do indeed mean to have him. He went into exile, escaped punishment for his deeds before I'd had a chance, now, with his re-instated place, he is a candidate I can consider as a husband or consort. Your brother Cristoff, he mated and married before I could place the consort title upon him, make him mine, I won't be so slow to act if Bickslow proves as enjoyable as he looks like he could be. My father will allow me two Consorts…Vander is appealing for that place too, I haven't yet decided on that but he's not got a famous Fairy Tail mage hanging on his arm, so I needn't hurry with him…" She told him her tone harsh, venomous.

Farron narrowed his eyes slightly, but maintained his calm expression. If she named Bickslow a consort he'd be pulled to the court, the Princess' sex toy, to sire children for her and adorn her bed and arm at parties until she married and then he'd be cast aside.

Only royalty could do that, antiquated as those laws were, the king had kept them at Kurinos insistence when the Steel Council had petitioned to abolish them.

They were remnants of a time when Bosco was less advanced, less forward thinking, less about equality. Like the legal keeping of slaves that still existed.

"What if I offered myself, to your bed tonight…if you leave Bickslow be?" He asked quietly, hating every syllable as it fell. He would protect his brothers, his family, nothing meant more, it was ingrained in him deeply, as it one in each of them. He knew as he said it Bickslow would do the same or more for him without hesitation.

"I leave Bickslow to his Fairy and you will come to my bed tonight in his place?" She asked, eyes widening. "Willingly? You will not resist me?"

He drew a breath "Willingly Princess. Just this once, or take him and you will never have me." He had never understood why she wanted him like she clearly did. He was a diplomate from a moderately high ranked family. There were more exciting men out there. The dashing prince of Minstrel had been after her, a man most women seemed very drawn to, yet she had pursued Farron for years.

Maybe this would work out well, she'd have him and be done and he'd finally have some peace.

"Deal, come here." She beckoned and walked to the light near the dance floor waved at someone he didn't see and stepped up to him "Kiss me then Ambassador Pradesh, to seal our deal, I want to taste your lips."

He almost rolled his eyes at her brazen grin but dipped his head and kissed her. He'd meant it to be a brief chaste kiss, they were in a very public setting, and while kisses were common, a simple chaste kiss often used to greet someone. She was unpromised royalty and he himself was unpromised, so it had to be brief and simple.

But Kurinos hand went to the back of his head, tangled in his thick dark hair and held him as flashes went off and he cringed, knowing exactly what she had done.

She'd beckoned the reporters who hovered around the events like this, that was who she'd waved at, and pictures of them kissing would likely be everywhere by daybreak, the king would see them and likely be thrilled his daughter was with a respected man like Farron.

She'd turned what would have been a secret tryst into a public nightmare for Farron.

She smiled coldly up at him. "Now, come with me, I know you've no doubt got plans with your family tomorrow, I will be certain to get what I want from you before dawn but I want every hour I can get since you've promised me nothing beyond tonight."

She led him away then, her attendants and guards closing ranks around him to assure his father, who had seen what Kurino had just done, couldn't get near.

Arman was furious, he knew well Farron wanted nothing to do with Kurino, dealt with her only as his work demanded, Kaleb had just been telling him what was happening, how the princess had threatened to take Bickslow and it was something her highness was known for, her cold hard enjoyment of ruining relationships among the aristocracy and high society of Bosco.

Knowing he couldn't stop her from taking Bickslow tonight she would have taken him home with her and had him, it was her right according to that damned law her father held on to. Kaleb had explained it would have ruined Erza, that the knight and his son had such a new relationship, anything could have happened and none of it would have been good. Cana backing Kaleb up point for point.

Just the sort of thing Kurino would get a thrill out of.

But she had wanted Farron for years, couldn't touch him because of his position, and his eldest had done what he always did, stepped in to protect his family no matter what it cost him.

Kurino couldn't just let it end there though, she'd summoned the reporters and then kissed his son like a lover as the cameras flashed. The distinguished, respected, admired young Ambassador in the arms of the Princess. The King would see those pictures, he would be delighted, Kurino had embarrassed her father many times with her galivanting and abusive treatment of suitors.

The King was like any father, wanted his daughter settled with a good man so she could give the kingdom needed heirs her younger sister hadn't been able to produce because the Prince of Midi had turned out to be infertile.

The King was expecting with his new wife, having remarried last year, 8 years after the death of the Queen, but he still wanted heirs, still wanted his eldest daughter settled. He liked Farron a lot, this would delight him and be very difficult to explain away. Though Kurino probably thought Arman wouldn't tell the King exactly why Farron was kissing his daughter, probably didn't believe Arman would risk such a thing…she would be wrong if she thought Arman didn't value his children above his political standing.

He turned on his heel and went straight to Cristoff and the others, seeing Bickslow stricken face, his sons eyes on the retreating figure of his oldest brother being led away.

"Stop it Bickslow, this has little to do with you so don't you dare take on any guilt about it. Cristoff, Farron will call you when the Princess is…done with him." Arman spat out the last distastefully "I want him brought to my study directly from her penthouse, nothing is to be healed before you bring him home am I clear?"

Cristoff nodded, feeling Wendys arms tighten around him "Yes father."

Hours later Cristoff had left Wendy sleeping and was pacing in the dining room, Kaleb frowning at him, Bickslow looking miserable with Erza beside him. The three couldn't hope to sleep, and while she had tried, Erza couldn't, the moment Bickslow had started to leave the bed she'd followed him.

He'd explained what had happened, and she was horrified by it all, had said what they all knew was true of her. "I would have killed her."

Bickslow had smiled ruefully at her "I know it Kitten, I know you wouldn't sit by, and I fucking love the way you love me, but I can't sleep while Farron is…going through whatever is happening to him in my place."

Cristoffs com went off at 4am and the Lunar Slayer didn't even answer it, vanishing in an instant and everyone stood. Arman was in his study, and had locked the doors and already told them none of them were to enter until he came out and said otherwise.

So they could do nothing but wait, and having already waited for hours, even Kaleb kicked his chair back in frustration.

Danice Pershay was a respected journalist, photographer, and responsible for covering the actions of the consulate. She had known Arman and Farron Pradesh for years, since before Farron had come of age and joined his fathers staff. She was a close family friend. So when Arman had called her, told her he wanted her to handle something incredibly delicate, she'd not cared it was Christmas eve, or that her daughters would once again likely go through Christmas morning without her like they had too many times already. She had jumped to help him.

Her long red hair pulled back in a bun, she had been there when the Pradesh family and White Sea had wiped out the dark Seith Guild in lower Palerno, she had taken Farron in her arms as he had led the wide eyed boy who Arman adopted the following day out of the rubble and carried him to safety.

She loved the Pradesh children almost as much as her own, so when Cristoff appeared in the study, Farron nearly unconscious in his arms, in nothing but boxers, bleeding heavily from deep lash marks all over his back, legs and arms, she was horrified.

She'd taken a few pictures of him kissing the Princess earlier, had even gotten some of the Princess leading him away, now, seeing the actual aftermath of an evening with the crown Princess of Bosco, she was heartsick.

"It's…it's ok…I can stand…" Farron was saying, Cristoff carefully supporting him, he'd never been beaten to this extent, in all the times he'd endured the Princess and her off the charts tastes, he'd never been as bad coming out of her bedroom as Farron was right then. He'd healed Kaleb after most of his trips too, never, not even half as bad.

Farron saw Danice and cringed "Father…no…" He breathed, not able to stand up straight entirely.

Arman met his sons watering eyes firmly, though his heart was about to wither in his chest seeing what had happened to him, he said sternly.

"Get pictures Danice, and remember, these will go to the King directly but I want copies ready, I want your story ready, if the King doesn't act quickly…Bosco will see what their Princess does with the power she has held onto. As strong as she is, in spite of all she has done for good…this cannot be allowed to continue." He said firmly.

Farron closed his eyes as Danice stepped forward "I'll keep your face out of the shots Farron, if this goes public. Only your father, me and the King will see any that show your face." She promised him.

Farron was healthy, tall, his body well conditioned, muscular and lean, Kurino had torn his flesh to ribbons in places.

"I…I didn't think it would happen." Farron said bitterly, meeting Cristoffs eyes "When we got there she had her servants strip my clothes off but there were no chains or anything at first, we had sex, three times, she said she wanted me to handle her like I would any woman I would take to my bed so I did, and she seemed fine, seemed to enjoy herself, I was starting to think you were all exaggerating, but then she started crying and the next thing I knew I was in manacles, stretched up and she was sitting in a chair having her servants whip me while she watched and cried." He said.

Cristoff frowned, glancing at his father "She had sex with you before she beat you? She…never did that with me, it was always the chains and whip first, she liked seeing me get angry, seeing me wince."

Farron shook his head, too tired to really care about the order of what had happened. Danice got her pictures and stood back, once Arman nodded Cristoff hurriedly stepped in and began healing his brother, gritting his teeth at the extent of damage there was.

"Get those pictures ready as fast as you can, I want to send them to the King with my letter of protest, and yours Farron, I've written one for you, I want you to go over it, add what you think it should include and sign it before you go to bed and rest. We've moved Lucy and Eriks ceremony to start after lunch, it was Eriks idea so no complaints or protests, he wants you involved as much as you want to be." Arman said.

Farron nodded, standing straighter as Cristoff healed him and the pain eased more and more.

"I'll have the pictures for you within an hour Arman, I'll have a courier deliver them." Danice was saying.

Arman shook his head, "No, I'll send Vander to collect them around 9, you've done enough Danice. Thank you."

Danice kissed Armans cheek then went and leaned up to do the same to Farron, then Cristoff, giving Farron a warm smile before leaving.

Arman watched as Cristoff methodically went over his brother head to foot, then nodded toward the door off the study "Take a shower, I'm sure you want one, I have some clothes in there for you already. Come out so your brothers can see you're allright before you go to bed, Bickslow in particular wont rest until he's certain you're safe."

Farron nodded and headed into the bathroom while Arman and Cristoff went out to the dinning room.

Every eye flew wide when they saw Cristoff, who grimaced slightly realizing his shirt and jeans were dark with Farrons blood.

"Breathe children, Farrons safe, healed, having a shower now and will be out in a few minutes. The Princess…did what she always has though." Arman sighed, making himself a drink.

"Worse than any of us…by a good bit though." Cristoff said darkly. Of all of them he knew it best, he'd suffered enough, planned to go back to his bed soon and thank the Gods again for his loving little mate and wife, curl into her arms and forget anything but her.

He toyed idly with the band on his wrist, so proud to wear it, more now than ever.

Bickslows eyes were riveted to Cristoffs bloody clothes though, so were Erzas, he was the first to rush to the door when Farron finally walked into the room, toweling his still wet hair and looking exhausted.

He accepted his brothers enthusiastic hug smiling weakly, "Relax little brother, it's done, who knows…maybe some good will come of it." He sighed, glancing at his father who smiled at him proudly. He always saw Lara when he looked at his oldest son, and it often pained him, he missed her still very much, she'd be so very proud of their boy and the man he'd grown into.

"You…thank you. Just…thank you." Bix said, not caring his voice cracked. Farron smiled more warmly "Yeah yeah, look, I'm tired and I want some sleep and we have Christmas and a wedding tomarrow so get the hell to bed."

They all rose and headed up the stairs, Arman watching them go fondly before turning and padding down the hall to his own room for some badly needed sleep.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Christmas turned out to be a rainy day, torrential rain in fact, but nobody really minded much. Lucy and Cobra stuck to their pajamas and everyone else opted to do the same as presents were opened and mountains of wrapping paper were hauled off in large bags.

Natsu and Emzadi even emerged for a short while, though Emi was unable to keep her hands to herself and Natsu wasn't much better, they managed to open gifts before being forcibly sent back to their room by a frowning Arman after Emi got too excited and set the Christmas tree on fire…twice.

Vander came and went, getting his teasing and jabs in well enough even though his father had him busy handling multiple errands centered around all that had happened the night before. Vander could get places quickly, get in and out of pretty much anywhere, so it was always easiest to send him when dealing with Steel Council members or Royalty.

After lunch though, everyone settled, gathered again, and Lucy stood before Erik while their ceremony started, Erik on his knees in front of her.

Wendy and Cristoffs had involved the Knights because of his knighthood, but Lucy and Eriks was all about family. Fairy Tail and their new found somewhat large one in Bosco.

"Lucy Heartfilia, I ask to take you to wife, to keep you at my side, a partner for all time, share my bed, bare my children, I will honor you, protect you, keep myself only for you forever, Do you accept?"

"I accept." Lucy smiled and Arman held out a ring Cobra took, Lucys birthstone and the his, though he really did not know his birthday, he and Arman had settled on one for him for the adoption. He slid the ring onto Lucys finger and she bit her lip, smiling down at him.

Laxus grinned, stepping forward. He knew this now, certainly didn't mind doing it either. "As co-master of Fairy Tail, your family Lucy and your eldest Dragon Kin. I accept the Pradesh family and honor it by allowing them to take our precious daughter and my dear sister as a wife to their son. Fairy Tail stands with you both for all your lives and the lives of those children to come soon." He stepped back then and Arman stepped forward.

"Our family is yours, I give you my son with my blessing Lucy Heartfilia, and promise as your father I shall be here for you for council or comfort, safety or support for as long as I live and vow the Pradesh family will stand by you both and all of your children that will come." He bent and kissed her cheek, then the hand the ring was on.

Farron came forward then and smiled at her and Cobra "I give you my brother with my blessing Lucy Heartfilia, and promise as your brother to be there should you need council or comfort, safety or support for as long as I live I will stand by you both and all of your children that will come." He bowed and kissed her hand.

One by one the brothers each came, in order of age until Vander finally kissed her hand and backed away.

Arman then smiled and took her hands "You are a Pradesh my dear, now, the rain can't be helped but I had the bath area nicely set up for you both, you attendants will see to you…tradition calls you." He walked them to the back door and they went out where an attendant bowed and opened the carefully enclosed deck area around the baths.

Lucy gasped when they stepped into the "tent", thick carpets covered the deck and a large bed covered with silk blankets and sheets, dusted with flower petals waited amid dozens of candles.

She and Cobra were undressed and rinsed with the fragrant Sea water from the bath before being ushered to the bed. "Not sure I like being watched…" Cobra admitted, glaring at the attendants who stood passively as far from the bed as possible.

"Required, they have to make sure you can get it up and make me happy, I kinda like it, my rights matter." Lucy said grinning.

He looked at her in surprise. "Seriously?! You're pregnant, pretty obvious I can hold my end up." He returned. Lucy shook her head, a wicked smile on her face. "Well sure at least once but what have you done lately?" She asked innocently and he growled "I fucked you till you shrieked this morning." He reminded her and she shrugged "So? Whats the matter? Dragon got your dick?" She taunted and he growled again, grabbing her and pinning her to the bed while she laughed.

"I can't believe the mighty Poison Dragon Slayer is shy!" Lucy said, eyes sparkling with humor at him but her mirth turned into a gasp when he suddenly thrust into her. "Shy huh? You ladies seeing this ok? Damn this part is messed up." He said and Lucy moaned as he started driving into her. He heard the attendants leave but Lucy didn't, too consumed by her mate growling in her ear.

"Ah!...you…have to…please me…or I can still…say no…" She could barely hold on to her evil grin anymore, face twisting in pleasure as Cobras hips snapped forward again and again. His mouth was on hers, kissing her, she could kiss him millions of times, it wouldn't matter, she'd given up even imagining she'd ever reach a point he didn't take her breath away.

They still were all over each other as much as ever, the babies needed their fathers magic as much as hers, and she seemed to get bigger by the day now, something that just turned Cobra on more and more.

When they emerged, a little over an hour later. Arman handed Lucy a golden band. "Lucy Heartfilia, I give you this band, if my son pleases you and you accept him as a suitable Husband for you I ask you place the ring on him showing you accept him." Arman grinned as Cobra knelt before Lucy again.

"Gods I love how much of this is about my choices." Lucy grinned, Cobra rolled his eye and she took his hand, sliding the ring on his finger. "I accept him as my husband." Lucy giggled and Cobra bolted to his feet, kissing her before snatching the box Bickslow held out and pulling out a golden band and chain like the one Cristoff wore and snapping it on grinning.

"Allright, come into my office you two, there are papers to sign then we can celebrate!" Arman ushered the pair into the office and set out folders before both of them.

Lucy started reading and her mouth fell open.

"This…this is the deed for our house in Magnolia!" She breathed. Arman smiled "One of my gifts to you both for your wedding my dear, you'll share the house in Akane Beach with Wendy, Cristoff and Bickslow…and Bickslows wife when he marries. I made sure you both had properties coming into the marriage, it makes everything better when you do and fortunately I had some random holdings in Fiore I hadn't already deeded to Bickslow or Cristoff." Arman was saying.

Lucys eyes got huge "The…the kozern….Heartfilia manor…" she was crying now and Arman frowned slightly, handing her a box of tissues.

"Yes well…that was with the Kings help, Princess Hisui actually thought of it, that it should be yours, so…I made sure it was. You don't need to live there of course, it's fallen into pretty bad disrepair, the man who had purchased it…well…" Arman sighed.

"He hated my father, bought it and I know what he did to it out of pure spite…but this…it's too much Arman…" Lucy said, looking at him and Arman shook his head "No..and it's "Father" please, I am your father in law now my dear, it really wasn't much, Hisui and the King sort of…well…terrified the man into giving it up, and I just picked up its debts, which weren't bad at all, he'd taken out a couple of loans against it but they were small ones. The point was it should belong to you and now it does my dear."

Lucy stumbled around the desk, he had no idea what this meant to her, couldn't, her families home, where she had been born, where her mother had died, where she had grown up, it belonged to her and Cobra now. To their children.

She could go there again…knew she would. Hugging Arman she sobbed all over the man and he soothed her, waving Cobra over to help and rescue him but found himself just further enveloped, Cobra had been so worried about returning home and getting the house caught up, getting the addition finished they would need so they could have plenty of room for their family.

Arman had paid the house off, paid off the debts to the builders who had repaired it after the invasion.

When they came out of the office, paperwork all signed, they were buried by their family, flooded with wedding presents they hadn't expected at all since they had already gotten Christmas gifts.

A lot of the "gifts" were pictures of things already shipped to Magnolia, strollers, cribs, baby things, new furniture and appliances for the house and from Farron….a paid off contractor prepared to complete all of the work the house needed.

All in all, it had become a good day out of a really rough night leading into it. Farron enjoyed drinks with his brothers before turning in and Cana had to marvel at this family. Bickslow, she had always thought was exceptionally handsome, though he hid it well behind a visor and armor, the man was stunning. Every single one of his brothers, in their own way, each unique, could have flooded the panties of a room full of women with a smile.

Kaleb though, was hers, promised, and she wouldn't be leaving Bosco when everyone else did, no, she'd stay. She had the best reason in the world too, love.

When she looked into those lavender eyes it hit her as hard every time, she was in love, and had a man that was in love with her. It just awed her. She stretched, eyes sliding over Kaleb where he stood by the island bar in the kitchen.

Soft dark grey sleep pants rode a little low on his hips and a black tank top hugged his torso, long platinum hair pulled back into a loose black band so it was out of his way. Even though the pants were loose the thin material still clung to his thighs, his ass, and Cana was biting her lower lip, knowing how easy those clothes would be to pull off that tall body.

Vander was right beside him, in some sort of sleeveless v-neck made out of a satiny dark red material, maroon sleep pants hugging his hips, black hair falling over his laughing wine colored eyes. She could remember Kaleb mentioning once he and his brothers had taken women to bed before, teamed up to really give them incredible nights and she could almost imagine biting Vanders lips, seeing what was hidden but so well hinted at by the snug clothes the shadowquip leaned toward wearing.

Gods, what would it be like to be between him and Kaleb for a night, Aaron had been nice, but Vander was just wickedly bad and she knew it. Her eyes moved between the two men, wondering if Kaleb would keep indulging her like he had. He leaned toward Vander and said something to the younger man that made him smirk.

Kaleb turned, looking over his shoulder, smirking at her and she knew he was picking up the lewd thoughts rambling around in her head, she didn't care, they had nowhere they needed to be tonight, going to bed early wouldn't even be looked at funny, Lucy and Cobra already had, so had Bickslow and Erza and since they'd been groping each other on their way up the stairs it was obvious why they retired early.

Oh some Christmas sex, long and hot and heavy sounded really good. She thought and he looked at her again, eyebrow raised this time. "Allright, time to turn in, Cana? You ready for bed?" He said at last and she sprang to her feet. "Thought you'd never ask." She purred and led the way eagerly up the stairs to their bedroom.

The door was closed, locked, and She was kissing him, yanking the bottom of his tank top up, leaning in to bite at his skin before he'd even gotten it all the way off and he laughed.

"Plenty of energy for what you were wanting down there?" He asked her and she smiled at him "and a lot more…Gods I want you…" She said grabbing him and pulling him down to kiss her. Kalebs kisses, Gods help her they always made her head spin.

"What about me?" She snapped her head around, finding Vander sitting on the foot of the bed and she looked up at Kaleb who smiled "I promised…now I won't kiss the brat, but I'll share you with him since you want this."

Vander made a doubtful face at his brother "Kiss you? Hell no…but I'll kiss her all she wants…"He grinned and Cana bit her lip, drawing a breath as Kaleb pushed her toward his brother and released, she climbed right into his lap, swiftly pushing her hands into that thick black hair and kissing him, tongue diving past parted lips to tangle with his and Vander groaned at her aggression.

When she yanked at the shirt he was wearing she gasped as it melted away, turning to a vapor in her hands and he smiled against her lips before she pulled away to stare down at his bare chest.

He was Clanborn. Like Kaleb, but where Kaleb bore a Fox, Bickslow and Cristoff bore wolves, Vander had a dark flying serpent weaving through his clan tattoo with long fangs and an almost dragon-like head.

"He wont be a challenge to undress, bastard can quip out of his clothes." Kaleb said, coming up behind her and leaning down, pushing her hair out of his way so he could seal his lips over her neck as he opened the button up shirt, of his, that she had been wearing all day.

"Jealous much?" Vander smiled at Kaleb who snorted. "Shut up and find a productive way to keep your damn mouth busy."

Vanders eyes flashed as they met Canas and he lunged in, teeth closing over the tip of one of her breasts while Kalebs fingers worked on the other.

Cana leaned back into Kaleb moaning, "Gods I love you…" She breathed. His lips sealed over hers from above her as he tipped her back more, supporting her upper half while Vander grasped her hips firmly and ground himself against her.

She was lifted so her sleep shorts and panties could be removed, felt the odd soft sensation of Vanders remaining clothing vanishing and then her legs were spread and while Kaleb kissed her, squeezed long fingered hands over her full breasts, Vander slid into her, filling her, and dear Gods not smaller than his brother.

She was held, kissed, every part of her that could be touched, kneaded to increase sensation was attended to, both men handled her with care, and after riding Vander for a while she was lifted from him and brought all the way onto the bed. Kaleb came up behind her, entered her easily because she was drenched and she rocked back into him while Vander was kissing her, trailing his lips over her neck down to her chest and she moaned again, threading her fingers through black hair, just lost between the two men.

Any woman, including her, would have given anything to be with either one of them, her she was, in love with one, loved by him, and getting to enjoy both muscular bodies, Kaleb so powerful, Vander lithe and lean, they each felt incredible under her hands, against her body.

Kaleb seemed to exchange a look with Vander and he pulled back, she was turned around and Vander lifted her up, holding her legs open while Kaleb entered her again, hissing through his teeth as his did. Vanders body came firmly against her back as she was leaned back into his grasp. His lips on her neck, teeth nipping at her skin while Kalebs hands teased her breasts as he started pounding into her.

She didn't last long at the angle, screaming out her release. Limp she was eased forward, placed on her knees and her arms went around Kaleb, mouth eagerly taking him in and making him gasp as Vander now slid into her. He moved differently than Kaleb, who had a more languid way of moving, Vander was sharper, harder, but felt so very good.

She lasted no longer with him than she had with Kaleb, groaning out her orgasm and vigorously working Kaleb in her mouth until he made her let him go. "Turn her." He told Vander who smirked and helped Cana turn to face him, he leaned back, letting her almost lay on him while Kaleb came into her from behind then she was brought back upright, crushed between the two men, she could feel Vander against her belly and reached down, grasping him and smiling when he groaned as she started pumping him. Minutes later Kaleb came inside her and sat back and she lunged down, finishing a panting Vander off with her mouth.

She collapsed then, sprawled across the two men boneless and grinning like an idiot.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o


	46. Chapter 46 Price

When Cana stirred again she smiled, sitting up she bit her lip as her eyes moved over the bed, to her left Vander was stretched out on his belly, one arm stretched up under his head, the other hanging partially off the bed, to her right, Kaleb sat, propped against the headboard, skimming through the lacrima tablet that no doubt held a beastly itinerary for the coming day since he'd taken two days off.

His eyes came up when she stretched. Cana tilted her head at him "No jealousy…none…you're amazing." She said quietly. It had been why she'd never tried something like this, even Baccus seemed a little possessive, and was definitely competitive, it just never seemed like it would work, men didn't share well, not when it came to a woman and sex. Kaleb was Boscan, and had been raised to be far more open, accepting and tolerant but it still surprised her, the servant in the Embassy was one thing, but her thigh was now resting alongside Vanders, someone they would be seeing a lot of.

Kaleb smiled "Not really, but thank you. I've got nothing to be jealous of Cana. You're promised to me, Vander just came to help me fulfill that fun little kink of yours. I enjoyed this more than the embassy, I trust Vander, know he wouldn't cross any lines with you, wouldn't approach you without my requesting it. Besides…" He set the tablet aside and pushed her hair back over her shoulder. "You love me right?"

She grinned "Damn right I do." She replied firmly. Kaleb leaned forward, moving until she was forced to turn toward him and lay back, right onto Vander back.

"And I love you, so what's there to be jealous of?" He asked, kissing her.

She couldn't argue, he made it seem so simple, and maybe it was, there wasn't any awkwardness to it, Kaleb seemed totally at ease, Vander had too, both men focused on her pleasure, which was dizzying. Right then there was something exhilarating about Kaleb kissing her like he was while she was laying partially on top of Vander.

"You just amaze me." She breathed and he smiled, lifting her away, rolling with her until she was on top of him. Vander stretched out beside them, turning his head to watch with sleepy eyes for a few moments before turning his head back to where it had been and seeming to doze off again.

It was still amazing to Cana, there just wasn't anything there, no worry, no jealousy, Kaleb turned again, this time laying Cana on her back. The whole night passed like a dream for her. She and Kalebs activity finally woke Vander completely and he joined them and when ideas stirred again in her thoughts, Kaleb made them happen, able to direct Vander without much talk.

She'd had men take her every way possible, and liked it all, but Vander behind, Kaleb in front, both men inside her at once left her seeing stars, her body was so overwhelmed by her climax she nearly blacked out when she felt them come shortly after her. In robes they crept downstairs to the hot bath on the back deck then, Vander snatched a cold bottle of wine from the kitchen and glasses he helped Kaleb massage Canas exhausted body before leaving them.

"If you two can make it back upstairs on your own I have training in 4 hours and would like at least a little sleep before then." He grinned.

"Mmm, don't hurt any of them this time, you injured Caplin and Pellos last time you had one of these big spars, no injuries unless they're yours." Kaleb chided. Vander rolled his eyes, Climbing from the water, a black robe forming around him.

"Yeah yeah, thanks big brother, your concern for my well being is touching. Cana…it was a pleasure, good night." He left them then, pushing his way through the tent flap since the tent from the ceremony was still in place over the hot bath.

"Big spar?" Cana questioned.

"Yeah, we don't really have many people who can spar with him one on one if he uses his magic, and he needs training time to stay sharp, so every other week he's set up against 4-6 other mages for weapons training. For him, that involves his magic since he rarely uses weapons he doesn't create himself. Erzas going, might participate from what I heard." Kaleb responded, holding her snug against him. Cana yawned and he smiled, rising.

"Lets get to bed, I think I've worn you out enough." He chuckled.

She frowned "You needed help to get me this tired, just remember that."

Kaleb laughed "I can wear you out just as much on my own…maybe we'll revisit the whole lesson in fucking you until you can't walk thing?" He suggested, giving her a hand from the bath. She grinned "Maybe tomorrow, you and Vander kind of already handled me for tonight."

When she was back in bed, soft blankets around her along with Kalebs arms, she couldn't fend off sleep even if she'd wanted to.

o-oo-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

"Try not to get your ass kicked." Bickslow said with a smile as Vander passed him to walk into the training area. There were already a few dozen mages in the stands overlooking the practice rings. Vanders sparring sessions were something many of the younger mages enjoyed watching, some planning how they could get invited to one, others just to see if things they'd heard about their Masters brother were true.

The red haired woman who would apparently warm up against him was drawing a lot of curiosity.

Only a couple of White Seas mages ever sparred one on one with Vander, when he was actually training himself and not just helping with the training of someone else, his magic came into play fully and when he went all out, he was challenge even their very best rarely held up against.

Seeing him come in decked out in his shadows, magic radiating as he tied a black sash over his eyes, it was clear he didn't plan to hold back much with the redhead.

Erza was smiling, she could feel Vanders magic energy, and was too well experienced not to be impressed. She'd been itching for this "warm up" match for a while, ever since Bickslow had made the offhanded comment after watching her fight that he thought the only swordsman who could take her was the man who stood tying a blindfold over his eyes across from her.

"He's doing that for your safety, he can see just fine like that so don't think he's giving himself a disadvantage." Bickslow warned her before leaving the ring.

She ran through her armor in her head, deciding her speed varieties would likely be her best bet, at least until actually crossing swords with him could give her better insight.

"Dual wield or single?" He asked. Erza smiled "Dual, and I use more than just swords…try to keep up."

He smiled, nodding and she watched twin katanas appear, swirling into shadowy existence and finally glinting in the lights as they solidified fully, the black shadowy metal entrancing to the knight as she re-quiped into her black wing armor.

Murmurs from the crowd in the stands happened when people realized what Erza possibly was. Betting started in earnest.

Erza initiated the start. Lunging at Vander, not surprised when her swords passed through dark vapor instead of hitting katanas. It took her several attempts before metal sang against metal finally and the real battle started.

She found in the first few attacks and counter attacks that his speed matched hers. The full potential of shadow forged blades was something only someone like Vander could realize, and she was awed by it. The blades hardened, softened, lengthened, shortened, even became thicker, curved as they fought, to match her maneuvers and make Vanders use of them more effective.

He could shift how he held them without slowing, a distinct advantage she hadn't counted on, when she took a swing outside his inner defense a sword shifted, the blade suddenly running back along his arm instead of out from his hand as if he'd turned the hilt in his hand and she was forced to leap back when he suddenly could drive the sword into her center in a brutal slice that could have cleaved her in two had he wanted it to.

He pulled it before it made contact, but as she stepped sideways, she nodded, acknowledging he'd taken the first point.

She re-quiped into her flight armor, deeper speed would help her more than greater offense, and this time, he lunged in, intrigued by the armor change and wanting to see what it did.

Erza was surprised that again, within a few attacks, he matched her speed, able to increase his, and his feinting ability she learned fast was something it was incredibly hard to fight against. Using shadows, he would leave a blurred shadowy image of himself lunging in one spot while the real him came at her from another.

What she learned the hard way, giving him another point, was he could, at will, change to whichever shadowy form he wanted to be in, so if she went at the one that seemed more substantial, she could end up with the other being the one that got her while the one she attacked simply vanished.

Increasing his speed he could attack from multiple positions at once and she suddenly understood why he trained with several mages instead of one on one and why few mages could handle him at all in one on one combat.

After an hour, she was panting, Heavens Wheel armor forming over her and she went all out, smiling faintly because she deeply enjoyed the fact she could. He hadn't expected to be out maneuvered, but as swords rained down finally one caught him, slicing through his calf and at his grunt of pain she was going to stop the decent of swords but in the next heartbeat an arm was around her, a black sword at her throat and she froze, her swords freezing everywhere.

"Gotcha." Vander panted and she smiled "Look up." She stood still as he did and he laughed, above him, guaranteed to skewer him, were two swords hovering.

"Draw?" He asked and she nodded, turning out of his hold as soon as he dropped it. "Best one I've ever had." She admitted.

Vander nodded "Let me get this healed up, then, care to join me for a 6 on 2? The opponents are very good, and I don't get near enough practice working in conjunction with anyone."

Erza grinned "I would love to!"

Bickslow was shaking his head, leaning on the containment rail for the ring, smirking knowingly at his brother as Vander limped past him. "Told ya she was fucking amazing." He said and Vander nodded "Yeah…you so don't deserve her." Vander agreed.

Erza came up to Bickslow next, beaming, she was full of energy now, the thought of the next match thrilling her. She kissed Bickslow so hard he groaned, smiling at her when she finally pulled back.

Got your blood going huh?" He teased and she grinned "Indeed, I am very excited about the match, Vanders abilities challenged me." She admitted.

"Told you he was good, there's good reason the Steel Council and the crown put him to work as much as they do." He said.

"Indeed." She agreed, eying him and biting her lip before leaning in to take another long kiss. Was it wrong she wanted him? She was so immensely turned on right then, her blood surging through her like it was, she wanted to take out all the energy on his body.

"Fuck…ok, after the match, you and I are taking a steam bath…you know, to help you relax and…unwind…" Bix moaned and she grinned, watching the opponents she was about to face with Vander file into the ring. Her blood surged more and she growled at the Seith, meeting his eyes hungrily "I can't promise I wont leave bruises." She admitted. Bickslow smirked "Not nice to tease."

The match was almost another hour, Vander returning with his leg healed up he and Erza weren't against slouches, these were strong White Sea mages that individually would have been challenging, as a group that had been discussing taking on the shadowquip for a few days, they were rough.

It only served to thrill Erza more though, she adored hard training, deep challenge, and being forced to utilize her skills fully.

When done, she was a bit battered, and would have bruises, but it didn't stop her from grabbing a grinning Seith mages hand and dragging him along to the more private high ranked guild member shower rooms, the Seiths clothes left in a trail to the first steam room and Vander snickered, picking them up and putting them on a bench outside the room before going to get himself a much needed shower.

He'd barely finished, had just gotten to a locker and was drying his hair when his com went off and he had to pull his jeans out and dig into the pocket to answer his father call.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

"I'm not really sure what this is about but I have my hopes." Arman was saying. Vander flanked him, walking slightly behind him, decked out in his dark red leather, katana swords on his back, daggers glinting on both thighs and arms. He wasn't invited, he was security. His father brought Vander along when he had serious cause to believe regular methods were not enough.

So far, under Vanders watchful eye, Arman had never had so much as a paper cut, but those trying to deal with a Boscan Ambassador they didn't want around had died some pretty gruesome deaths without Arman being involved or associated with it.

Farron walked alongside his father, unhappy he'd opted to have Vander along simply because he knew Vanders presence meant Arman had concerns, doubts.

Seeing as they were about to have an audience with the King of Bosco, that really alarmed Farron.

As they came around the corner to start walking toward the Kings hall Vander vanished, Farron didn't flinch or blink, he felt his brothers magic engage and then, nothing, not even a hint he'd ever been there at all. Vanders reputation wasn't just darkened by all the women he'd bedded, he was lethal, and even Farron called on him sometimes, when his own magic might not be quite enough.

He wasn't too proud to admit, were it not for his baby brother, he would likely not be alive today, nor would their father be. Vander was just that good. Clans fought over Shadowquips for a reason.

He knew Vander was near, but not because he could in any way sense him, just experience told him his brother was likely drifting in their own shadows as they walked, or somewhere on the ceiling, he'd be near, ready to act if needed.

The Guards at the head of the hall were mages, and looked over them carefully, looked all around them, seeming to almost sense something but unable to pinpoint it. To date Farron had never seen any mage that could exactly pinpoint Vander when he put real effort into being invisible, no matter how good they were.

They passed the guards, that watched them carefully as they continued up the hall and ascended the stairs to grand doors and more guards, who also looked them over carefully before letting them into the audience chamber.

It was years of training, of being under hard eyes and watchful stares that kept Farron from reacting when he saw the King sitting on his throne, and Princess Kurino seated on a chair to his left.

He kept his eyes off of her, face passive and calm, smiling at the King like his father did.

"Arman, Farron, I am grateful you answered my summons on such short notice." The King said.

"It was a surprise your majesty, but as ever a welcome one." Arman said smoothly.

The King sighed, glancing at his daughter. "I doubt that considering the pictures and letters you both sent me."

Kurino stared forward, eyes vacant, ignoring her father and he frowned, looking at the two men before him.

"I was not aware of what she was doing…" he said, glaring at Kurino and adding "I knew of two, but you say this has happened to all of your sons?"

"Yes your majesty, all but Bickslow of course since he has lived in Fiore the last several years. Farrons experience was one of the worst, but every time one of them is with her, they require heavy healing afterward, intervention to prevent heavy scars from what she does to them. She has made it clear if they refuse her she will go to you and I had not wanted to say anything, my sons were enduring it and even I didn't know how bad it really was until Farron was taken early from the Cristmas ball at the Consulate after the Princess held him for that kiss." He said.

"He came with me willingly." Kurino growled but her fathers look made her flinch and instantly soften her expression.

"I was not willing to be whipped by two servants while you watched." Farron said calmly. The King sighed heavily again, giving his daughter an infuriated look.

"I apologize, I…was not aware Kurino was so abusing that old law." He said, clearly seething with anger. "It is done, will never happen again, Arman, I want you to work with Despiere from the Steel Council, have the damn law stricken, even it all out like you all wanted to do years ago but my daughter talked me out of allowing." He cast another glare at her.

"I will have no more laws that allow royalty above the same laws that govern my people anymore, we are a forward moving country and I will damn well keep it that way, not have my own daughter practically raping young men, leaving them bloody and scarred for her enjoyment!" He stood, whirling on her.

"You will never do anything like this again, abuse your position, and with people who keep our kingdom running, maintain peace! You did this to a decorated Ambassador and the Master of White Sea! A guild that has meant the difference for our countries security more than once! You would ignore all of that, risk everything for simple pleasures you could exercise with servants! You will marry the prince of Minstrel next month and this will be over, done, no more waiting, no more searching." He said in a booming voice.

"But father!" Kurino started to protest but the King held up a hand "NO! I'm through letting you run around all over my kingdom fucking every man you an get your claws into, and this!" He held up one of the pictures Arman had sent of Farron after the Princess had been done with him.

"You treated a man who serves this country with honor and integrity like a fucking criminal! You beat him like a Prisoner of war! How the hell did you expect to win a husband when you make men HATE you! I never should have left this to you, after all of your service with the armies I thought I could trust you to handle this your own way, to find a good strong man! When I saw the morning papers, the pictures of you kissing Farron, I was thrilled! I thought FINALLY! Kurino has gotten a good man into her arms and then you do this to him!?" The King glowered at his daughter.

He hit a summoning bell and two men in robes appeared, one a Steel Council head. "You heard me right? You will work with Arman Pradesh, change the laws, never again will royalty walk past the laws of the common man. Nobody can force anyone to indulge them, the Princess does not have any rights a normal citizen doesn't have, I remove her right to chose her own husband as well, she will marry the man I have chosen. Arman, Farron, I would like you to handle negotiations with Minstrel, their prince made an offer on Kurino just a month ago, we're taking it, I want her married as quickly as possible." The King said furiously. Everyone bowed and he was about to dismiss them then smiled faintly.

"Vander…I know you're here, Sorry Arman but I would call you a fool if you had showed up here without that crafty ass in tow. I need him to handle something for me." The King said and Sitting on the bottom step of the stairs that led up to the throne Vander appeared, flipping a dagger around in his hand and smiling up at the King who laughed.

"I shall leave him with you then your majesty, Farron and I will get right on the tasks we have been given!" Arman bowed and he and Farron took their leave, followed by the two robed men while Vander was beckoned to the King who led him from the audience chamber to his own private office.

"Have a seat Vander, I have a delicate issue I need dealt with and I can not send any of my Knights….." The king was saying before the door closed, leaving Kurino, trembling slightly, watching with an emotionless face as Farron strode away beside her father, out of her life forever it seemed. Nobody saw the tears fill her eyes, and she wiped them away and strode proudly from the room, head high to her own chambers.

Her handmaid, Esta, followed silently. She had joined her mistress in many of her escapades, had even helped her enjoy Ambassador Pradesh, stripping his clothes from him. She had watched her mistress take the tall man to her bed, no chains, no whips, kissing him, pulling him down with her onto her bed.

He'd asked her what she wanted from him and Esta had been stunned when Kurino had replied "Make love to me…like you would any woman you took to your bed…please me…" She'd stood by, amazed while Kurino and the Ambassador had done just that, hours ticking by, three times the blue eyed diplomat had taken her mistress to screams of pleasure, Kurino gasping out his name.

Esta had never seen it before, always the Princess whipped her men into weakness before she would take them, she wanted them bleeding, submissive, sometimes struggling to move at all, groaning in pain as she would take pleasure from their bodies.

She'd never taken a man to her bed, had long drawn out sex with any man before. Esta knew Kurino harbored a deep desire for Farron Pradesh, the Princess had wanted him from the first time she'd met him, when her induction had come and it was time to free herself into womanhood she had begged her father to request Farron as the one to help her free herself from her virginity. But her father had insisted it was to be a well trained courtesan, and Kurino had actually cried over that refusal.

She'd cried again when she had sent her first request that Farron attend her, his refusal had been simple, just stating he did not have the time to do so due to his duties as an Ambassador.

Still Kurino had been immensely upset by it. Had petitioned his younger brother Cristoff, and made Cristoff pay dearly and unknowingly for his brothers rejection. Cristoff and Kaleb didn't know it, but they had paid more than most did, their handling rougher than Kurino usually doled out on her men.

Esta wasn't sure why Kurino cried after she had recovered from the third climax she'd enjoyed in the Ambassadors arms, but whatever happened to cause it, had resulted in her calling for him to be restrained, her sitting and watching while he was whipped, taking the whip herself to him before she left the room in tears.

"I'll never have him again…he did it to keep his brother from me…" She had whispered to Esta when the handmaid had rushed to her side. Esta knew better than to speak, silently stroking her mistresses hair, minutes later when she went to make sure the servants had released Farron from the retraints, she'd found him gone, the servants telling her Cristoff had appeared on the balcony and collected the Ambassador.

Watching the Princess collapse in her chambers minutes later the handmaid could do nothing again but watch and wonder what had happened.

oo-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-oo

There were hugs, lots of them, tears, lots of those too as the mages from Fairy Tail boarded the airship that would carry them home to Fiore. Lucy hugged Cana again. "I can't believe this…" She sniffled, she was more emotional than usual too, the twins came with tidal waves of hormones, so it was far too easy for her to cry these days.

"I'll come to Magnolia when the babies are born, might even be able to haul Kaleb along with me, you just give em all hell allright?" The brunette was trying not to cry more, she'd already streaked the hell out of her mascara, had to be looking like a clown by now. Not that Kaleb seemed to care, standing beside her looking like a fucking God in his guild clothes. They were due onto their own airship bound for White Sea in less than an hour themselves.

"I will, I miss you already!" Lucy wailed as Cobra gently pulled her away from Cana so they could get to their cabin. The flight to Crocus would take a day and a half. Far less than the almost two weeks by train. The new air routes now established linking Bosco and Fiore were going to make missions, everything, so much better. They were limited, right now only Crocus and Dawn City had Sky Ports, but others were being built.

Kaleb steered Cana away, and she leaned back against him, tears falling down her face as the airship finally pulled away from the dock and ascended, Lucy, Levy, Erza, Emma and Wendy leaning over the rail waving to her and blowing her, Kaleb and Arman kisses.

Farron had left that morning for Atla, after all of his work there something had happened to a large shipment of turnips involving priests being somehow mind controlled or something along those lines into performing vulgar acts with the vegetables and Farron was needed because the turnips had been part of a relief shipment to the Capital city of Josta and there was all sorts of unrest over the whole thing.

Arman would be leaving shortly after Kaleb for Minstrel to negotiate Princess Kurinos marriage to the prince and Vander was off on his mission for the King, having never come home from the palace but he did call to assure his father he was fine, just in route to someplace he couldn't tell him to do something he couldn't talk about.

So their Seven rescue group was breaking up. Lisanna still away on the mission with Team Thessaly also wasn't coming back to Magnolia for several months, possibly a year, if she showed improvement, and so chose, Kaleb was ready to make her a member of White Sea officially and give her a permanent home in Bosco.

She would still have Cana, and Mira and Elfman were planning a trip to visit her in a couple of months, though Lisanna would remain based in Pelerno instead of moving to the Guilds main headquarters in the city named after it.

Vander was based in Pelerno, and Kaleb was keeping him as Lisannas main mentor, even though the Shadowquip tended to be endlessly busy with work, Lisanna trusted him, saw him as a point of stability in her life, and since he was in Pelerno more often than White Sea, she remained under his supervision.

Lucy eased herself into a comfortable chair in she and Cobras cabin for the trip. It was small, barely enough room for the full sized bed they would share, and the chair she was sitting in, a little bathroom with just a sink and toilet, but the large window beside the bed afforded a spectacular view. There was a communal shower, typical of Bosco there were not separate ones for men and women.

"How you feeling Tink?" Cobra asked, pulling one of her feet into his lap as he sat on the bed, she groaned when he pulled off her shoe and started rubbing her foot.

"Oh Gods, that's amazing, I so love you right now…" She breathed. Cobra smirked, collecting her other foot and pulling the shoe from it so both feet could have his attention. Her feet had started swelling with her belly the last few days, and she'd come to love foot rubs.

"I feel great really, my back hurts, I'm tired, and my feet hurt too, but I feel great, happy to be heading home but still kind of sad at the same time…we have a family…and not just these guys." She smiled, rubbing her belly.

Cobra grinned, he doubted he'd ever get used to the idea, him having brothers and sisters…a Father, a family and a place to call "home" other than the house in Magnolia.

"And your last name is Pradesh, and you're a married woman now." He pointed out.

She nodded "Yeah, I'll have to be careful about fucking the hot Dragon Slayer all the time I like to sneak around with…you know…it's not a train…but damn if it won't be nice having sex in the sky…" Lucy smirked and Cobra grinned, reaching out and pulling her to him onto the bed.

"Mile high club here we come…"

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Lucy and Cobra weren't alone, none of the Fairy Tail couples emerged much during their trip, ordering cabin service, happy to pay the extra to just relax together in privacy. There was something truly incredible about laying in a bed, looking out a large window over the clouds at a perfectly clear sky, the steady hum of the airships engines, the fact it rarely swayed jolted or bumped as it moved.

With Emma and two healers present it wasn't like the Dragon Slayers had to worry much about motion sickness anyway, but they still enjoyed the peaceful trip to Crocus.

After a month away, in the large beautiful city of Pelerno, Crocus was almost a shock. The newly finished Sky Port was above the market district not far from the coliseum that hosted the games. Rebuilding of the cities across Fiore effected by the invasion had come far, Hargeon was livable now, though there would be a house shortage until more work was completed. Magnolia, Kurugi, Oshiban and Onibus all back to nearly normal. Clover Town was still being worked on, but Blue Pegasus had returned to their new guild hall and the resort was now staffed and running as an actual resort/ Fairy Tail branch in Shirotsumi.

Crocus bustled, seemed cramped and crowded compared to Pelerno, but it was also familiar and everyone was happy, even the Dragon Slayers, to see it and to cross the city to the train station to board a train for Magnolia, which was building a small sky port of its own but that wouldn't open for a couple of months yet. In time though for visitors when the twins were born Lucy smiled, realizing they would be flooded with their new family when that happened. Arman had already said when he finished in Minstrel he was just coming to Magnolia because if he had his way he would be there when his first grandbabies were born.

Evergreen greeted them at the station, bawling and hugging each of her team mates several times, even Bickslow who thought it was hysterical.

"Gonna make my Girlfriend jealous Ever…Hell you're gonna make Elfman nervous lavishing all this love on other men!" He teased and she'd hit him in the head with her fan but then sobbed and hugged him, glad even to be getting teased again.

Everyone headed their separate ways, it felt so strange, they had been together for a while, in the same house, worked together, fought and played together.

Still, Laxus and Emma returned to find their new home completed, so they wouldn't be returning to Wendy and Cristoffs. Gajeel and Levy, who had left a house with basics completed, came home to an overjoyed Pantherlily and a fully finished and furnished home.

Natsus home in the woods still needed a great deal of work, but his new mate wasn't afraid of it, and had her own plans for it. He'd learned, after they were mated, that becoming mated to a woman who was double S-class ranked, who had been keeping a small apartment and saving her money for a few years, meant he wasn't going to be living in a little one-bedroom anymore. Happy was home, and Ruby, while she still occasionally snapped at the cat and would chase him relentlessly if he dared to tease her, got along with him, and had a hearty respect for Emzadi.

Charle was thrilled to see her "family" home, and while not thrilled to learn Natsu and Emzadi….and Ruby and Happy, would be living in the same house until theirs was finished, she was too glad Wendy and Cristoff were home to mind all that much.

Bickslow and Erza returned to their comfortable home too, finding Arman had shipped most of their purchases and gifts from their time in Pelerno ahead and it was all waiting for them in their livingroom.

Home sweet home.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

4 Months later

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Cobra sat quiet, rocking slowly in the soft chair, staring in wonder at the tiny bundle he held. Jaden had been born a few days ago, April 18th. Blonde hair, deep amethyst eyes, and, according to Wendy and Cristoff, a healthy little Dragon Slayer who already loved the way his fathers family band shined, now with two diamonds set in it, one on each side of Lucys birthstone.

The exact type of Dragon Slayer he was they wouldn't know for a little while, his magic would start manifesting quickly though and they were betting he would be using some form of celestial magic. Across from him Arman sat in the other rocking chair, Layne in his arms. Layne had been born about 30 minutes after Jaden, with his fathers maroon hair and mothers dark eyes. Layne was why Lucy had started consuming Cobras stash of toasted appleseeds and poisoned candy during her pregnancy. He had inherited his fathers magic, and was currently sucking on an unsweetened Oleander lollipop, Emma had made them an assortment of the infant friendly treats that Cobra occasionally snacked on himself.

Both boys were healthy, with their fathers caramel complexion and strength, they wore their parents out, or would, if not for their doting Grandfather, uncles and aunts. Though he had offered to stay in the hotel that wasn't really that far away, and there was always Bickslows house, and Wendy and Cristoffs, Lucy and Cobra were actual enjoying having Arman stay with them.

There was a lot to be said for the soft singing, story telling grandfather whose soothing voice worked wonders on the twins when their parents were needing sleep.

Lucy was curled up, passed out in the overstuffed chair near the fireplace, she'd insisted she wasn't tired, didn't need to go lay down for a nap while the men looked after the babies, but had fallen asleep in minutes once she'd reclined the chair back and the warmth from the fire was rolling over her.

It was still early spring, and she was still recovering from giving birth to two large healthy Dragon Slayer babies after a rough last couple of months with the pregnancy that had her craving toxins that were fine for Layne, but not so much for Jaden.

It turned out Layne actually was the answer to a problem that never really was, as soon as those toxins the little Poison Slayer craved were in his mother, his body drew them in, they never effected Lucy or Jaden at all.

Lucys spirits were endlessly breaking through their gates too. Cobra would wake to find Loke happily cuddling one of the babies, walking up and down the hallway, or Virgo changing diapers when nobody had even known the boys needed to be changed.

Aquarius demanded to be present at bath times, her icy glare making Lucy agree immediately before handing Layne over and watching in shocked amazement as the Mermaid just melted, cooing and cuddling the infant.

So while two strong healthy Dragon Slayer babies would have been wearing most parents out, the truth was, all the people wanting to hold, play with, cuddle and care for them usually wore the boys out.

Lucy hadn't enjoyed her pregnancy after the first two months, once home Cobra had adamantly refused to let her take jobs. Their house was paid for, they'd gotten hefty payment from Bosco for their involvement in ending the Royal family, and the Raijinshuu went back to work the week they had all gotten home.

There was a huge backlog of requests.

So Cobra worked, and Lucy was trapped at home, her own team turning on her and refusing to have her along, even Gray.

"No way Lucy, I wouldn't be able to think I'd be so worried you and the babies might get hurt." He'd said when she'd asked to go along on a mission that was just some simple guard duty over some construction site where they were rebuilding homes in Hargeon.

Erza had been completely inflexible on the point "Absolutely not, you will not be endangering my boyfriends nephews, you will stay home and rest!"

She'd tried to argue. Team Natsu now included Emzadi, who brought a whole new world of power to the team, though if she was side by side with her mate her destructive abilities almost dwarfed the Fire Slayers. Erza learned quickly that plans had to include Emzadi not being close enough to Natsu that his wild reckless enthusiasm didn't infect his mate.

Planned right, Emzadi actually helped to keep Natsu focused, and if he stepped out of line? Erza had grinned the first time Natsu had let himself get carried away and he'd burned down the framework of a house in the process of being rebuilt.

Emzadi had left her own opponents blinded by a solar flare attack, teleported to her mate and smacked him so hard he went flying "They're trying to rebuild damn it! Focus!" She'd snarled and Natsu had apologized and been meekly careful the remainder of the fight, rewarded by his mate, who, proud of him, had pounced on him and done Gods knew what with him behind a rolling wall of fire she threw up but when the fire went down, Natsu had red lipstick on his face, neck and chest and wore a goofy half dazed grin.

After that, the fire slayer sought to show his mate just how well he could control his magic, not just how powerful it was, because she rewarded control over power since she cherished it and worked so hard for it herself.

So Lucy had stayed home, and was looking forward to Wendy giving her the OK to return to missions with her team. The idea of working in the improved Team Natsu appealed to her a lot, and babysitters were abundant.

Wendy was going on jobs with them too, alternating between them and Team Shadowgear, that suddenly found itself up by two Dragon Slayers and an Exceed and was taking some tougher missions now.

Gajeel, as long as he was with Levy, was damn near unstoppable, especially when something tried to threaten his mate, an angle Levy played up from time to time because it got her mate to redouble his efforts when she needed him to.

He knew now, most of the time, when she was manipulating him, but was so amused she did it, he always went along with it and usually without comment until later, when he would tease her.

Cristoff stuck with the Raijinshuu, since they were mostly clearing out nasty groups of dark mages and Sevenese soldiers on their missions, sticking with double s-class work because the board had so many that level and so few that could take them on.

He worked more often than Wendy on missions, Wendy staying home to keep up with the infirmary, help Emma in the Potion shop, look after Ruby, and once the babies were born, to check on them and Lucy frequently.

Walking homeward after a long two weeks running down Dark mages that had been trying to get a foothold outside of Onibus, Bickslow groaned "Fuck I'm tired."

Cristoff smirked at him "Maybe you should have slept on the train? I offered to put you to sleep like Laxus." He pointed out. Bickslow gave him a doubtful look.

"You wouldn't have woke me up…like on the way up." He glared. Cristoff had put Bickslow out for the train ride to Onibus, then gotten distracted by a sick child in the next car and forgotten to wake the Seith, who had ended up sleeping through the stop and waking up in Clover Town.

"That was an accident, I apologized like six times already." Cristoff protested.

"Takes an even dozen to really count." Bickslow grumbled.

"Then I'm sorry, times six." Cristoff smiled. Bickslow yawned and shouldered his brother "Meh, you're good, buy me a beer at the guild tomorrow." He smiled back.

"Deal, Looking forward to seeing Erza?" Cristoff asked.

"No…I'm looking forward to fucking Erza, seeing her really wouldn't satisfy me right now." Bickslow smirked.

"Pfft, you're so tired you'd fall asleep before you got your dick in her." Cristoff teased.

"I can so fuck in my sleep, long since acquired that skill after passing out drunk before getting off too many times. Besides, you underestimate the raw sexual abilities of my girlfriend and her affect on me." Bickslow returned.

Cristoff rolled his eyes "I don't want to know, thanks anyway, I have a wife to get home to, I don't need mental images of you doing the deed to kill my mood."

"Aww come on Cris, you know you used to watch me with girls when we were kids." Bickslow grinned.

"I was 8 Bickslow, the last time I watched you, without meaning to by the way, I was fucking 8, Kaleb taught me more than you ever did, Mr. Trapped on an island for 7 years. Now…when you came back though…that first week I stayed with you…" Cristoff shook his head, holy hell had his brother been wild, even by his standards when he'd first returned from Tenrou.

Fucked his way through Hargeon and Crocus with a 17 year old Cristoff in tow. That had been educational.

Bickslow snorted "I don't even remember most of that, I was just so damn glad to be alive, to see my family, home, women…"

"Well, Go home and make your girlfriend happy." Cristoff shoved his brother along and Bickslow flipped him off but grinned, heading ahead as Cristoff turned at his house.

Wendy was in the kitchen, finishing up dishes, feeding a house full of Dragon Slayers resulted in a lot of dishes. Since Emzadi had cooked, Wendy had taken the dishes, not trusting Natsu with them, she liked her dishes.

She looked up when Cristoff came into the kitchen though, almost dropping what she had in her hands in her haste to run into his arms.

"I missed you!" She said into his neck, then was wrapping her legs around him, dishes forgotten, they could wait till morning.

Cristoff seemed to agree, carrying her into their bedroom after shutting off the light in the kitchen, kissing her, being kissed by her, and trying not to trips and fall as she started pulling his clothes off.

She drug him to the bed, throwing him down on it and climbing over him with a growl and he grinned, rising to meet her on his knees, not backing down the first time she demanded it.

He'd become a lot more accepting of her need to dominate him from time to time, usually times like this, when they'd been apart for a bit, but his defiance riled her up more and he knew it, loved it, wasn't above pissing her dragon off a little so his Dragon Queen came out to play.

She did pretty strongly tonight too, growling and snarling at him, her bites drawing blood a couple of times before he finally lay back and let her straddle him without more resistance. She drove the wind right out of him quickly, when he first got back from a mission it was usually fast and rough. Neither of them minded that at all though.

Sweaty but smiling they left the bed for the shower once they'd dealt with their initial greetings.

"Mmm, How are the babies?" Cristoff asked , the stiffness of being on a train for hours finally starting to leave him as hot water rolled over his body. Wendy was happy to start soaping him down, she always enjoyed showers with her husband.

"Healthy, happy, like your Father, he and Cobra are both adorable with them. Lucy said she could sit and watch them with the babies for hours and never get tired of it." She giggled.

"Dad's probably out of his mind, he's wanted Grandbabies since Farron turned 18." He laughed.

"He's definitely embraced being a grandfather, but it hasn't stopped him from reminding everyone he wants many many more." She grinned up at him and he smiled, bending to kiss her, sobering.

"Whenever you're ready…" He said softly and she pressed her lips together, pulling his hand from her hair and pressing it over her belly.

It took him a moment, but his magic almost seemed compelled to reach into her and he froze, finding life…lives, healthy, almost 2 months old…her belly had the bump too…he hadn't even noticed…

His mouth fell open and Wendy watched the dark blue eyes lighten, a smile lighting his face and then he was lifting her off her feet, kissing her, peppering her face with kisses then putting her on her feet, dropping to his knees and nuzzling her belly, kissing her skin, it made her heart warm even as her knees weakened under the attention.

"You…how did you hide them?" He asked, he knew he'd checked on her, he was always checking her, if he woke and she was sound asleep he would, just to be certain all was well with her, she was his whole world, nothing mattered more to him.

"Vander taught me how to block Kaleb, and it worked so well, I noticed you weren't noticing so I kept it up…wanted to surprise you…" She grinned and he kissed her belly again "Well…I'm surprised!" He breathed.

"Wendy…we're having babies…" He grinned at her and she nodded, loving how happy he was. She hadn't really doubted he would be.

"We can tell your dad tomorrow…" She was saying when there was a loud knocking from the front door, so loud even in the shower the two slayers caught it.

"Shit…" Cristoff stood, turning off the water and snatching a towel from the cupboard.

o—o-oo-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Erza wasn't in the livingroom watching the Lacrima screen when he got home, she usually sat up when she knew he was coming home from a mission so he was a little surprised. But knowing she'd just gotten back herself from one the day before he figured she had turned in, it was pretty late.

He smirked, besides, he didn't mind waking her up and he'd do it in such a way she sure wouldn't mind either.

Wicked plans in place he crept down the hall to the master suite and silently opened the door, frowning slightly when he saw the bed empty but then noticing the light on in the bathroom.

Oh he could so enjoy a bath or shower with Erza right then.

On silent feet, he went to the closet and shed his armor, just leaving his boxers on and turning the knob to the bathroom, he pushed it open and blinked at the scene before him.

Erza sat on the floor in front of the toilet, box of tissues next to her, eyes red and swollen, face mottled from crying. When she saw him absolute horror covered her face, fear unlike anything he'd ever seen on her before and he had no clue why, or what the hell to say because he didn't know why she was sitting on the floor in the bathroom crying.

She looked ok, no blood, no bandages visible.

"Kitten…what the hell? Talk to me here…who the fuck am I gonna go kill for making you cry?" He demanded, sliding down to the floor beside her and gathering her to him.

She was shaking her head, resisting being held, hiccupping and he was trying to get her into a good position so he could hold her, ignoring her attempts to escape.

That was when he saw the box, the little stick sitting on the edge of the counter.

"Let me hold you kitten, quit the struggling…come on…" He crooned, finally getting an arm around her, tucking her under his chin as she curled into his lap and he reached out to move the stick once she was settled, feeling her stiffen in his arms as he did.

He closed his eyes for a minute, feeling her pull back and look at him, he wanted to say something but words wouldn't come, his brain shorted out for a few seconds, just completely overwhelmed.

"I…I'm sorry…please…please don't leave…"She begged and his eyes flew open, looking at her in shock.

"Leave?!...oh Gods Erza…baby…you don't need to be sorry, I'm not mad…holy shit….you're pregnant…I mean…holy shit…but…Gods woman, why the hell would I leave? I love you, Fuck I love you so much it's crazy…why would I leave? We're having a baby! That's fantastic!" He was hugging her, kissing her then.

Erza was stunned, she was two weeks late, had never been late more than a few days before, so, she had fearfully bought the test on her way home from the guild that night, wanting to know before Bickslow got home.

She'd been taking her potions…she wasn't sure how this had happened. When the test was positive she'd broken down, Bickslow wouldn't want a child, he was so carefree, the responsibility wouldn't be something he would want, and they'd just barely admitted they loved each other!

He might break up with her, or worse, ask her to get rid of it, she'd never do something like that.

But he wasn't mad, the Seith was grinning, tears in his own eyes, kissing her, telling her he loved her and she shouldn't be so worried.

"Erza, you gotta start believing in us, seriously…I…ok…I admit this is a shock but fuck…I love kids, they're so awesome, and if I were going to make babies and have a family with a woman I sure as hell would want to do it with you." He meant that too.

Hell since the dress shop he'd been trying to figure out how to just ask her to at least promise with him. Confessions of love seemed like a pleasant distraction, but he'd already known he was head over heels for her by then, long since known it. He was thrilled to hear her say she shared those feelings but if he was honest…well…he'd known she did, her rose colored soul wrapped tightly around a heavy strand of gold within her, her soul couldn't hide what it felt from him.

He knew that didn't mean the persons conscious mind had accepted things, he'd seen Cobras twined around Lucys well before Lucys had started doing the same with the Poison Slayers deep purple, and it had been a good while before Cobra had even started looking at Lucy more than anyone else even after both souls were already pretty committed to each other.

Gajeel and Levy had been another prime example of that too, Gajeel had been harboring the blue of Levy inside his steel colored soul for YEARS before he'd acted on it at all, and Levys blue had been cuddling steel for just as long.

So he knew just because Erzas soul was loving his, it didn't mean the rest of her did yet, so he'd been happy to hear she did, and it had made him want to jump to the next step but he'd waited, she seemed to struggle so much step by step, endlessly afraid he was going to withdraw.

Here they were though, a positive pregnancy test on the bathroom counter, Erza sobbing still in his arms terrified he was going to freak out and leave her. Freaking out he was doing, but not the way she was worried he would.

It was more a joyful overload than anything, worry about all it meant, the responsibility, looking after what would be an even more emotional Erza Scarlett for the next however many months…Gods he needed to get Wendy to look Erza over first thing tomarrow.

Was he ready to be a father? It seemed like a moot question, ready or not, it was happening, he meant it though, he loved kids, and had always wanted to be a father, he was already planning squirt guns, nerf wars, tents in the study, smores in the fireplace, yep…heaven.

But he wanted Erza, needed her. The woman was, relationship anxiety aside, a fucking rock he could anchor to. So steady and strong and he smiled, pushing his hands into her deep red hair and making the puffy, wet swollen brown eyes meet his.

Fuck waiting.

"You know I was going to ask you to promise to me back in Bosco after the whole thing at the dress shop, I wanted you to feel safe, to know I was committed, but stuff happened and it didn't come together and I got all wrapped up in just being in love with you again I didn't want to rock the boat…" He said. She smiled faintly, sniffling.

"You…want to promise with me?" She asked hopefully and he smiled, shaking his head at her, her eyes instantly confused and starting to get hurt, fuck her anxiety, he really had to put an end to it.

"No, I want you to Marry me Erza, I don't want to give you more time to worry about us, I want you to know I'm committed to you, that I'm fucking yours and your mine and I'll never fucking leave you." He said firmly and she gasped, "You…you want to…get married?" She hiccuped and he smiled, kissing her wet salty face.

"Yes, you crazy woman, I'm asking you to marry me…you're supposed to answer you know, not go twenty questions on me." He chuckled.

"Yes!" She lunged to kiss him and his head hit the wall hard enough he grimaced, and it was a wet messy kiss because she'd been crying for Gods knew how long but he didn't care.

After a few minutes he got her to her feet, brushed the stick into the trash and gently alternated between cleaning her red face with a warm wet washcloth and kissing her while she sat next to the sink on the bathroom counter. Kissing and cleaning turned into a lot more as touches got bolder, and he was glad he'd only left his boxers on, because they were easy to get out of the way so he could properly fuck her on that counter, then carry her to the bedroom to do it again in their bed before finally succumbing to exhaustion.

xoxoxoxoxoxxooxxxxxxx

A/N Drawing to a close, I do take reviews to heart so if you just are dying to see something...I'm all ears and keyboard. I'm already debating on the next chapter piece, haven't finished LD here so I'm trying not to start another piece until this one gets it's proper conclusions. Yes, Kurino is in love with Farron, woman has no clue how to act on that though, obviously, so she went back to what she knew best, and yes, that's messed up but she's not your conventional Princess...until 47...DESNA


	47. Chapter 47 Settle Down sort of

When Cristoff yanked the door open the last person he expected to see was Gajeel and especially carrying a beaten and much worse for wear looking Levy. Shadowgear had gone on a mission he knew, they had talked about it before the Raijinshuu had left for theirs but it had been something about recovering some books stolen from the Grand Library in ERA, wasn't supposed to be dangerous. Yet Gajeel looked bad, and Levy looked worse.

"Wendy!" He called over his shoulder, helping Gajeel stumble into the house as Wendy came running from the bedroom one of his shirts hastily pulled on.

"Glad you're both here…help her…Levy first…" Gajeel breathed as Cristoff took the woman from his arms and laid her on the couch, letting Wendy push to her side while he turned and narrowly kept the Iron slayer from collapsing onto the coffee table.

Hefting the big man he kicked the coffee table aside and laid him on the rug beneath it as Natsu and Emzadi were coming down the stairs.

"Find out where they were, Jet and Droy…we have to find them I have a feeling they need help…" Cristoff barked at them, Natsu took off running out the still open door, Emzadi right behind him while Wendy and Cristoff went to work.

Almost an hour later, Wendy, looking a little pale, sat back heavily and looked down at Cristoff, he was finishing with Gajeel, the slayer had started coughing blood and still had it on his face and chest but his breathing no longer was labored and gurgling. Cristoff sat back, looking at Wendy and reaching out a hand to her. "Still a few hours of moonlight left, I'm going to set up a well out back, we'll get them into it and let them soak away the rest." He sighed, rising and going through their bedroom, he opened a Moonwell right out the doors, grateful the moon was high and it was a clear night.

He paused to toss aside the towel still around his waist, grabbing a pair of sleep pants and pulling them on instead before going back through the house to the living room and picking up Levy to carry her back to the well. He left her with Wendy, who removed Levies bloody ripped up clothes and put her into one of her own night shirts, it was big on the smaller woman, but would protect her modesty.

She was easing Levy into the well when Cristoff came out with Gajeel, the Dragon Slayer was walking, though he needed Cristoffs support. His tense face eased the moment his eyes settled on Levy resting peacefully in the moonwell.

"Ok, so I'll help you out of this, down to your boxers and into the well, you can hold Levy and I want you to soak for an hour, once you're done, we'll get you into the bed there and you two should sleep" Cristoff was saying.

Gajeel nodded, tossing his ruined tunic aside and not bothering with his pride, he leaned on Cristoff heavily to get out of his boots and pants and slid down into the soothing liquid moonlight in the well, drawing Levy into his arms and thanking the Gods she was breathing without rattling and gurgling like she had been the last length to Cristoffs house.

The teleport lacrima they had used had gotten them to the outskirts of Magnolia, but he'd had to carry Levy the rest of the way, his own injuries screaming and keeping him flirting with passing out the entire time.

"Ok…can you tell me any of what happened Gajeel?" Wendy was asking, inside she saw Cristoff was dressing, getting ready to go out to help find the other members of Shadowgear, he was listening though.

"I think Jet got Droy clear, I was trying to get Levy out but Shrimp wanted to make sure we covered Jet and Droy, Droy aint exactly easy for a scrawny thing like Jet to drag outa harms way. Fucking Sevenese, damn nest of the bastards have the underground wing of the library, they didn't need books recovered, they need the wing recovered…shrimp has a teleport lacrima to get us back to Magnolia. When they fucking lit into us and Levy went down I grabbed her and used it." Gajeel explained.

"Ok, so near the Library…I think I can get to Peace Village then jump to ERA, see about finding Jet and Droy…" Cristoff dropped down to kiss Wendy, "I'll stop at the guild, see if I can grab Natsu and Emi" he told her then was gone.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Lisanna rolled over in her bed, grinning as she came on top of Kahns firm body, a yellow eye cracked open to peer sleepily at her, a smile lifting his lips just as she kissed them.

"You're in a good mood." He observed, voice husky with sleep as he watched her slide from the bed and walk into the bathroom, hearing the water turn on in the shower.

She came back then, leaning over him again, pulling the blankets down low enough she could kiss down from his hip to his cock and making him moan and close his eyes.

"I am in a good mood, the mission went so well, Vander will be happy with it, so much so Thessaly should get a nice night out of him since he promised her if I got the second Take over mastered, which I have, and we finished the mission successfully, which we did, he'd give her a whole night. Thessalys about beside herself, can't wait to collect on that promise." She said brightly.

He started to sit up but then she was back to his groin, licking him and he groaned, laying back down and lifting his hips into her touch.

"That's Thessalys reward though…" He observed starting to breathe deeper.

"Mmm, she's our friend, I want her to get him, he's sort of got one hell of a reputation in the guild, and Thessalys wanted him a long time, I'm happy I could help her get that desire filled…I know mine have been…" She smirked at him and he smiled, sitting up and pulling her to him to kiss her.

Lisanna drank in the kiss but started pulling Kahn to the edge of the bed. "Mmm, come shower with me…" She pleaded and he smiled, letting himself be pulled from the bed even though he would have preferred to either fuck her or go back to sleep, if she'd kept teasing him the first option would have become his preference.

He loved showering with her, she was prone to giggles and laughing and he loved the sound of that, still they'd gotten in a little late from their job and not exactly gone straight to sleep, his fault, he'd wanted her so much.

He'd gotten more and more involved in her, had spoken with Kaleb a few times about how much she was improving now that she was just away from all of Fairy Tail, wasn't seeing anyone but White Sea.

He almost drowned at times in her painful memories when they would surface, but he'd never missed it when they did and was quick to redirect her, bring her back to the present, Thessaly and Brice learning to be observant too, eager to help.

They all loved her, she was actually bright, witty, and showing a good talent for planning. He knew she was falling in love with him too, felt it, her feelings getting deeper, and he'd thought about stepping back but had found he didn't want to, that his own feelings mirrored hers, and he'd not been in love before, he was enjoying those growing feelings way too much to stop them just because this pretty woman had a bad past that had made her hold on reality a bit shaky for while.

He liked the idea of being one of the things that was turning things around for her too. On top of it all, she was a passionate lover, and that was something he understood well and was comfortable with.

So when she'd asked him to stay with her when they'd gotten home last night, he hadn't hesitated, had greedily taken her right to her bed once they were in her apartment above the guild, used up the last bit of energy they both had.

Thessaly had told them about Vanders deal with her, a night of his time in exchange for their team seeing Lisanna with a second Take over and a successful mission. Thessaly had harbored a crush on the Shadowquip mage for a while, seeing him come and go but not being able to get his attention, he was always so busy.

Lisanna had loved the idea, which had surprised Khan, who knew Vander was a sort of stability point for Lisanna, he'd never been anything but tough on her but that had always been consistent, she trusted him to be honest with her, relied on him to sort of let her know when she was losing her grasp on things. So having her new friend so interested in him could have been bad, but Lisanna told them, her sister was a devoted match maker and loved getting couples to hook up, so she figured it ran in her blood.

Either way, Thessaly had been thrilled Lisanna was ok with the whole thing, encouraged it even, and the team had worked hard to get Lisanna comfortable in her new Take Over, the Havati wasn't an easy one, but it was likely to become Lisannas strongest.

Trailing kisses down Lisannas shoulder, feeling her press more against his body, her hands gliding over his wet skin, Khans thoughts faded to the background and his focused shifted back to the white haired woman in his arms, pushing her against the wall of the shower, Thessaly could go collect her reward, he was perfectly happy right where he was.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Vander didn't get into the guild until a little after dinner. He'd missed seeing everyone off, caught up in a fairly unpleasant mission for the King, but he'd completed it, and now wanted to forget about it.

He enjoyed working, and a lot of what he did, especially the rescues of kidnapped children, removing items of leverage, guard work, he was very good at and left the jobs feeling pretty good afterward.

Some of it though was ugly. Wiping out those people in Seven hadn't bothered him, he'd felt better after that, but some jobs…like eliminating a potential rival for the soon to be husband of the Princess, that he wasn't overly fond of.

The young womans death would go down as a tragic accident, and he had honestly uncovered she was fucking some commoner and would have been happy not to marry the Minstrellan Prince anyway, but the King of Bosco wanted his daughter married, needed the alliance with Minstrell that would come from it, so, the Duchess from Icenburg had to go, just shaming her by exposing her love affair with the common guard she'd been sleeping with wasn't good enough, though he really had tried to sell that to the king, he wanted her out of the way.

So, when she'd gone riding out to meet with her lover, he'd shot her horse up on some toxins that would make the animal crazed and followed her to make sure the horse did what he wanted it to.

It had, breaking into a blinding gallop and tearing through trees the Duchess had taken a branch to the head and Vander hadn't needed to touch her, her neck had snapped along with her skull, the horse had run back to the estate, been found and the search party had found the Duchess a few hours later.

Job done.

He hadn't liked it, but the Princess had no competition for the Prince of Minstrel anymore, Vander just hoped the playboy Prince didn't love up someone else he'd have to go put through an accident before agreeing to the marriage to Kurino.

He didn't like killing people who didn't deserve to die. He did it, the Steel Council and the King were the only ones he ever did it for, and their covert jobs were often dangerous, and involved him doing things he didn't like doing. He reasoned it was for his country and followed his orders with few questions, making him a favorite.

He much preferred working for his father and brother, and the regular jobs he picked up now and then from the guild.

He sat at the bar in the Guild Hall and ordered some Dewars 25 year scotch, told the barmaid to leave the bottle and figured he'd get drunk, maybe pick up some pretty thing and fuck away some memories.

He was most of the way through his second bottle when a hand tapped his shoulder. Thessaly smiled at him when he turned.

"Thought that was you, we're back, successful mission report on your desk and Lisanna has got her second Take Over down." She told him.

In his slightly fuzzy head he remembered making some sort of deal with the pretty young woman about those things but wasn't sure if it involved sex or not…looking at her in her snug dress, remembering Kaleb had told him he wasn't to fuck her because of what she meant to Lisanna he smirked, pretty sure she'd wanted a deal that got him around that.

"You promised me, a whole night of your time for that…well…the sun is going down…I want my reward." She told him, stepping right between his legs and running her hand between his legs.

He didn't react, narrowing his eyes, oh hell yes, Gods he was a genius sometimes, he remembered that now, and her long fingers curling around him through the silk-like shadowfabric of his current black pants felt a lot like memory loss via sex was in his near future and not even with some random woman whose name he wouldn't bother to get, Thessaly was gorgeous.

"Only one night, Master Kaleb has orders I'm not allowed to mess around with you but a deals a deal." He agreed and she beamed, lit up like he'd just told her she'd won a damn pony or something. Why a beautiful kind hearted woman like her would want to get into bed with a killer like him escaped him, but oh he was going to make her so happy she'd wanted this deal.

"Give me your address, I'll be there in an hour." He told her and she snatched up a napkin from the bar and wrote on it before putting it in his hand squeezing his thigh and turning and hurrying away grinning.

Vander smirked, finishing off the bottle before putting some jewel down on the bar and heading for the showers. He needed to get out of the Leather and shadow clothes he was in, fine for the guild but he fucking looked like the killer he was at the moment, katanas on his back, daggers on his thighs, his attire clearly geared for combat.

As he started for the upper ranked member showers he smirked slightly, plenty of female eyes on him, he worked so much and his brother made him pace himself with guild members, so a lot of these women hadn't been with him, most hadn't, but enough had he was well wanted. Not tonight, tonight he made good on a deal, but he tucked away the idea that maybe it was time he hosted a nice party at his house nearby, he hadn't had one in over a year…yeah…past due.

Thessaly lived in one of the nearby high rise apartment buildings, only a block from where his own home was, which was nice, it wouldn't take him long to get home after he'd fulfilled his deal with her.

Two bottles of scotch on an empty stomach had given him a nice buzz in spite of his ability to absorb toxins with his magic.

When he knocked on the door it was after being tempted to just step through it and find out what was waiting for him. Deciding that would probably be rude, even though it would also be his style he watched Thessaly open the door and pull him into her dimly lit apartment.

"One whole night." She said softly, already pulling his shirt free of his jeans so she could get her hands under it "Anything I want right?" She looked up at him, searching his face and he nodded, not like he had any limits he was aware of, he didn't fuck guys or let them fuck him but other than that, he'd done a whole hell of a lot and not encountered anything he wouldn't do again, well, except the whole arms chained over his head while he was whipped and Kurino rode him, yeah, wasn't going to be trying that again, didn't care for flower beds either, holy hell did mulch sting.

"Anything you want Thessaly." he let her pull him down to kiss her, opened his mouth for her tongue, his hands sliding up her sides, massaging into the sides of her breasts and she pressed into him, drawing a deep breath, moaning softly. She pulled him then, led him to her room, to a large bed and he unzipped the dress, pushing it from her shoulders and letting it fall to the floor.

"Gods…your body…" She breathed when he pulled his shirt off, barely able to get it out of the way with her yanking at his jeans. He knew Brice and Khan weren't clanborn, hadn't earned much in the way of acknowledgement yet in their lives, but Vander had been serving the Crown and the Steel Council since he was 14, his body showed it, clan tattoos, the brand of the Knights, of the Steel Council, White Sea and the add on to his guild mark designating his rank and status.

As his clothes hit the floor she was running her hands over the evidence of how hard he'd worked, how much he'd sacrificed, he smirked, letting her be distracted, he was getting her bra off, he'd been wanting to sink his teeth into her breasts for months.

He lunged down and caught a nipple and she gasped, "I…I wanted…" She had her words cut off by his hands and mouth, he wasn't going to waist time, he could go all night, he'd done it before plenty of times, she could ogle his body in between orgasms, right now, he wanted to lose himself in a womans body.

Thessaly was used to being the aggressive one, setting the pace, Brice and Khan were so relaxed and easy going, happy to let her lead and satisfy her wants. She'd had half the idea all men were pretty much that way if handled right, that once she had him alone Vander would let her dictate what happened, and he was, to a point, but he was aggressive.

His touches were firm, direct, and precise, there was no fumbling looking for places to make her moan, everywhere he touched set fires in her, drew gasps, moans, made her breath stutter and her heart race. He reduced her to a babbling mess so fast her knees almost gave out, would have if her weren't holding her, he eased her down on the bed and followed her down and she found herself writhing, a needy mess so fast she was almost embarrassed.

She was experienced, Gods she had sex every day, usually at least 2 or 3 times between Khan and Brice and sometimes a few other guildmates that were always receptive to her. She thought of herself as passionate, lusty, but Vander was on a whole other level.

She felt herself close and he hadn't laid a hand on her center, had only handled the rest of her body, her breasts, and she was already gasping in shallow breaths, felt herself teetering and when he moved up from her chest caught her mouth again, his tongue plunging into her mouth skilled fingers slid between her legs and she felt him smile against her lips, he pulled back, wine colored eyes half lidded and cocky "Cum for me Thessaly." He purred and one move with his fingers and she did, screaming in surprise, body arching up into him and he pulled her along, following her bodies rhythm and drawing it out while his tongue plundered her mouth again.

"I…I wanted to…" She panted out, trying to remember what she had wanted, she'd known before, she really had, she'd planned tonight so carefully, then she remembered and she pulled back from his kiss, almost whining when he withdrew.

"Tell me what you want to try…I said anything you wanted, lets hear what you want." Vander smiled, a little impressed she'd stopped him, most women just got swept away by him.

She reached up and dug into the drawer of her nightstand, a couple pairs of cuffs coming out and he smirked. "You or me?"

Hours later he slid from the cuffs, quipped into his clothes and left Thessaly passed out in her bed, the sun was about to come up, he'd dodged a night of nightmares in Thessalys bed. He missed the times when Cristoff could be called, a couple words from his older brother and he slept like a baby, deep and dreamless.

For now though, he stepped out of the elevator in his own building and opened the door to his home.

The sprawling three bedroom condo was on the 40th floor overlooking the Guild that only rose 25 stories, he could see the consulate and the Steel Council headquarters as well as the sky port from his large terrace. He sread out his shadows, touching everything, every door, window, piece of furniture, making sure everything was as he had left it before he walked to the wet bar off the kitchen and poured himself a drink. The sky was starting to lighten so he carried his drink out onto the terrace, enjoying the cool breeze.

Hopefully there would be fewer of these longer missions that had him so far from home, not that it mattered much, his brothers were all settling down, even his sisters were. He shoved his hand through his hair, frowning at the scent of Thessaly clinging to him he abandoned the terrace and watching the sunrise in favor of a steaming hot shower and once he was out of that, his dark cool bedroom called, his bed decidedly the best place for him.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

"Seriously…how did Natsu score that?" Macao frowned, sitting back, Romeo snickered at his father, "I don't know dad, but she's gorgeous." He said.

Natsu was sitting at his usual table with Gray, Juvia, Erza and Lucy, cuddling with Jaden while Lucy was holding Layne. Emi sat beside him, idly running her long red nails through his pink hair while she smiled at the bright eyed baby her mate was holding.

"So careful at the library, not a book burned, and now so good with babies…we should have lots of babies…" She whispered in his ear and Natsu almost shuddered, smiling at her.

"You want to?" He asked and she smiled at him "I love babies, I love big families and I love you, maybe we should go home and start working on that…" She purred, Lucy and Erza both snickering.

Erza had been grounded, Arman and Bickslow had ganged up on her insisting she go on no more potentially hazardous missions. Unlike Lucy and Wendy, she had decided on a traditional Fioran wedding, and so she and Lucy were going through wedding magazines and books.

She didn't have much time, the baby would be due in early September according to Wendy who was expecting hers in August thanks to the accelerated gestation of Dragon Slayer children. So the wedding was scheduled for June. Still, she'd found her dress already, the shopping trip to Crocus with all of the women had been incredible fun.

Jet and Droy were hovering over by Levy, still enduring unhappy glares from Gajeel who was not as quick to forgive them over their mistakes around the whole library job, that they had so insisted they take because it was safe. Levy was pregnant, due in July, and that all came out while Wendy was tending her wounds and found out. She and Gajeel had been planning to tell the guild after they were done with the mission, but things had worked out, Levy, like Erza and Wendy, was banned from leaving Magnolia for anything even resembling a job.

Cristoff hadn't been wrong, baby fever had struck, all of the women had stopped taking their birth control when Lucy had started really showing and baby things were being seriously shopped for. Erza hadn't, but she had also screwed up and taken an energy potion instead of her birth control before leaving on a mission, then she had been particularly excited to see Bickslow when he'd come home from one and the two had spent the better part of three days in the bedroom, it was amazing Erza wasn't expecting twins like the slayer women.

Her anxiety about Bickslow was all but gone, the beautiful engagement ring on her finger a constant reminder he was going nowhere and very much meant to stay at her side and take care of her and their child.

Arman purchased a house in Magnolia, declaring it a necessity for a Grandfather that needed to see his grandbabies on a regular basis and Bickslows family made use of it. Kaleb bringing Cana to Magnolia to see Lucy and the babies, she sat on the table beside Erza, she'd already teased the daylights out of the knight until Erza had threatened to rip her new Boscan nose ring out.

Now she was helping with planning and taking Jaden from Natsu who Emi had finally talked into taking her home. Their house had finally been finished shortly after the whole incident with Team Shadowgear finding a nest of Sevenese mages hiding in the underground wing of the Grand Library. Laxus, Cristoff, Natsu and Emi had dealt with it, Cristoff lighting it up so bright the mages couldn't see, Laxus electrocuting everyone he could reach and Natsu and Emi barbequing any that tried to run out. They found Jet and Droy hiding in an abandoned barn a couple miles away mostly unharmed, Gajeel and Levy having taken the brunt of the sneak attack by the mages.

Lucy looked up as the Raijinshuu came into the guild, beaming as Cobra spotted her his expression warming as he saw his son in her arms and his other now in Kalebs being cuddled by her uncle.

Erza jumped up to fling herself into Bickslows arms, something she had taken to doing every time he returned home from a mission. He'd gotten better at bracing for it, no longer getting tacked to the floor and having the wind knocked out of him. Wendy wasn't far behind Erza, she felt Cristoffs absence painfully now that she was pregnant, and her husband barely managed a wave to everyone before he was drug out of the guild, the babies had been draining Wendys magic heavily, it was time their father relieve some of her burden and make her happy on several levels at once.

Standing Lucy was more quiet about greeting her husband since she had a sleeping infant in her arms, but the kiss was just as hot as any of the others. When Cobra pulled back he smirked at her "You love me." She said and he nodded "Damn right." He said, taking his son from her and nuzzling into the infants chest. Layne barely stirred, tiny fingers curling in his father hair, a deep sigh of contentment coming when Cobra gently blew Poison into his little mouth. The baby smiled, eyes popping open in delight and Lucy rolled her eyes, they could suck on her until she was sore, drain her magic, but all Daddy had to do was blow a little poison in Layne mouth and their son was all grins and giggles for his daddy.

At least Jaden loved being in her arms while she meditated, and adored all of her spirits, being especially cuddly with Virgo. She smiled, sitting back down, her husband sinking onto the bench beside her, back to the table, his attention fully on his son as he cuddled giggles out of him.

"Some deadly Poison slayer, put his son in his arms and he's a teddy bear." Cana teased.

Cobras smile didn't falter, his gaze staying on the toothless grin of his son "Fuck off Cana, he likes Poison, would make him giggle more if I ramped it up and melted your hair off your head." He said, burying his nose in the babies chest again "You'd like that wouldn't you? Would you like to see Daddy poison the fuck out of Cana?" He sang to the infant who giggled while Cana slid more toward Kaleb, figuring Cobra wasn't going to jet Poison in Jadens direction who was busy yanking on Kalebs long hair.

Lucy smiled, leaning in to kiss Cobras ear, earning a growl and then she and Cobra froze as the babys in his arms growled back at him.

Cana was moving quickly over to peer over Cobras shoulder. "Did he just growl?!" Cobra grinned "Yeah he did, hey Sparky you hear that?" Cobra looked up and found Laxus looking their way from the Raijinshuus table "I fucking felt it…kids already a monster." Laxus called back.

"Damn right he is." He crooned at Layne. He leaned up when Kaleb came around with Jaden so he could kiss the babies forehead. "Gotta catch up with your baby brother now Jaden, can't be letting him get all the firsts." He advised.

"Do Dragon Slayer babies develop faster than other children, The gestation is so swift so I was wondering?" Kaleb asked.

"For the first year, Wendy says it's likely they'll be walking and start talking before the end of their first year." Lucy replied.

"We might even see them use some magic, they already have it and Layne is a glutton for Poisons already." Cobra was grinning again, Layne had grasped the chains on the back of his left hand and pulled his finger to his mouth and Cobra was quick to indulge him, poison starting to drip from an easily extended claw.

They had seen some of it with Ruby, how she loved eating her elements, especially fire. Ruby adored the babies, when she'd met them everyone was a little reserved, but the dragon, now bigger than a horse so she no longer lived inside the house, Natsu having a barn put up for her she would be able to fit in for a while, had been careful, gentle around the babies, crooning and purring at them.

Ruby was flying now, her wings had started functioning well for it about a month earlier and she could speak, though she preferred just letting Cobra know what she needed or wanted since human speech was work for her and while the Dragon Slayers were rapidly learning to understand the rumbling intricacies of Draconian, it was still easiest for Ruby to just tell Cobra what she wanted everyone to know.

The dragon perched atop the guild hall, looking down watching her "family" come and go, satisfied to bask in the sun stretched out over the roof, even her wings stretched down to soak up all the sunshine she could get. When she got a little bigger, mastered using her magic a little better, she would set off to try and find other dragons, but this was home, this was family, and for now she was content, a Dragon of Fairy Tail.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

THE END

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o—o

A/N Yes I am already working on my next Chapter piece, "Roads less Travelled" here's a sneak peak:

"Why would somebody leave something like this out where anyone could find it?" Natsu asked incredulously, narrowing his dark eyes on the shimmering orb of what looked like water but sure didn't smell like it. Suspended inside the orb was the tiny purple gem they were supposed to recover for their client.

"Don't touch it…I have a feeling it's not as simple as just finding it, look there." Gray pointed and near the wall of the cave was a skeletal hand, Natsus eyes dilated "Cool…" he breathed moving to the hand and dropping to a knee to inspect it, the bone was weird, melted and spongy and the hand was stretched, like it had been reaching for something…or away from something in desperation.

"Why would you say a skeleton hand is cool Natsu…that things creepy!" Lucy frowned, a shiver running through her.

"I agree with Gray, we should be very cautious, I am uncomfortable with how smooth the rock is…and these odd little holes…like swiss cheese…" Erza was saying, prodding at a hole with the toe of her boot, she was right, the rock of the cave was worn smooth on the ground and about 3 feet up the sides of the walls of the cave, but there were little holes of varying size in the rock, most just an inch of so deep but some deeper, almost like weak points of the rock had worn away or somehow been consumed by something.

"Yeah…granite shouldn't look like this…" Lucy agreed

"Well we can't stand here all day looking at it, the guy said this might be the key to opening that vault…" Natsu said, rising and turning back toward the shimmering orb that was large enough three of them could have fit inside of it.

His hand lit with fire, he could smell the stuff wasn't water.

Wendy was poking a hole, sniffing, she knew the scent she just couldn't place it…it was like she'd smelled it somewhere a long time ago and…her eyes widened "Natsu no!"…..


End file.
